Cytokeratins of the matrices of the chestnut (torus carpeus) and periople in horses with acute laminitis.

The research examines whether acute laminitis in horses causes changes in cytokeratins expression in non-weight-bearing parts of a horse’s limb, suggesting this may be the cause of the deformities that develop in chestnut and periople parts early in the condition.

Study Background

• This study aims to determine whether there is a change in cytokeratins expression in the epidermal cells of non-weight-bearing parts of a horse’s limb during acute laminitis.
• The researchers also endeavoured to understand whether the morphologic changes in the chestnut (torus carpeus) and periople of horses during acute laminitis can be attributed to inhibition of keratinocyte differentiation.

Methods

• The experiment involved 8 horses with acute laminitis.
• Tissue samples were collected from the chestnuts of all horses and the stratum externum (outer layer) of the hoof wall of three horses within 48 hours of the first signs of laminitis.
• The characteristics of the cytokeratins were studied using one and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and the distribution of cytokeratins in tissues was studied via immunohistochemical staining.

Results

• The findings of the biochemical analysis showed that epidermal cells of tissue samples from horses with laminitis contained the same group of cytokeratins as tissue samples from clinically healthy horses.
• However, immunohistochemistry showed a variance in the expression of cytokeratin in the basal cells in the matrix of the stratum externum of the hoof wall and also in the matrix of the chestnut in horses with laminitis.
• The most severe morphologic changes were observed in horses with noticeable laminitis.

Conclusions

• The study concludes that the inhibition of keratinocyte differentiation in parts of the chestnut and periople as suggested by immunohistochemical changes could imply that the observed epidermal changes in horses with laminitis were primary and were not affected by weight-bearing.
• Thus, a horse’s weight didn’t have an influence on the epidermal changes induced by laminitis, which suggests new perspectives on understanding and managing the disease.