Abstract: The cytoskeleton of living keratinocytes consists mainly of cytokeratins that have polymerised into intermediate filaments. The aim of this study was to describe the expression of cytokeratins in the living epidermal cells of the weight-bearing parts of the equine hoof wall during acute spontaneous laminitis. A total of 9 hooves from 3 horses subjected to euthanasia within 48 h of the first clinical signs of laminitis were sectioned and examined. The cytokeratins in the stratum medium and stratum internum of the hoof wall were characterized by 1- and 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and the tissue distribution of the cytokeratins was studied by immunohistochemical staining. The biochemical results showed the same set of cytokeratins as was seen in 8 normal horses, reported on previously, used as controls. The immunohistochemical results indicated a difference between normal horses and horses with acute laminitis in the content of cytokeratins in the basal cells of the matrix of the stratum medium of the hoof wall and in the basal and suprabasal cells in the stratum internum at the mid level of the hoof wall. However, no conclusion could be drawn as to whether this change in the cytokeratin distribution in laminitis was primary or was caused by the initiation of the local tissue-repairing process. Huvudparten av de levande keratinocyternas cytoskelett utgörs av cytokeratiner som har polymeriserat till intermediärfilament. Syftet med denna studie var att, på hästar med akut fång, beskriva uttryckandet av cytokeratiner i de levande epidermala cellerna i hovväggens viktbärande delar. Nio hovar, från 3 hästar, har provtagits inom 48 timmar från första kliniska symtom på akut fång. Cytokeratinerna i hovväggens strata medium och internum karakteriserades med 1-och 2-dimensionell elektrofores och cytokeratinernas vävnadsdistribution studerades med immunohistokemi. De biokemiska resultaten uppvisade inga skillnader mellan de akuta fånghästarna och de 8 kontrollhästarna, däremot indikerade de immunohistokemiska resultaten en skillnad mellan de 2 grupperna i cytokeratinernas vävnadsdistribution i följande celiager: 1) basalceller i matrix till stratum medium 2) basal- och suprabasalceller i stratum internum, i nivå med hovväggens mitt. Det var inte möjligt att avgöra om skillnaderna i cytokeratinernas vävnadsdistribution var primära eller om de var sekundära till följd av en lokal vävnadsregeneration.
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This research focused on exploring the expression of cytokeratins in the epidermal cells of the weight-bearing parts of horse hooves during acute spontaneous laminitis. It found differences in the content of cytokeratins between normal horses and those with acute laminitis but could not determine whether this change was an initial symptom or a result of the body’s attempt to repair the tissue damage.
Research Objective
The research aimed to understand the expression and distribution of cytokeratins in the living epidermal cells of the weight-bearing parts of horse hooves during acute spontaneous laminitis. Laminitis is a severe condition in horses that affects the feet and can cause a great deal of pain and disability.
Methods
Nine hooves from three horses, which were euthanized within 48 hours of the first signs of laminitis, were examined for the study.
The researchers applied both 1- and 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis to characterize the cytokeratins present in the stratum medium and stratum internum of the hoof wall.
Immunohistochemical staining was used to study the tissue distribution of cytokeratins, a method generally used to visualize specific proteins in tissue sections using antibodies.
The set of cytokeratins found in these case samples was compared with sets from eight healthy horses.
Findings
The biochemical results showed no differences in the set of cytokeratins between the horses affected by acute laminitis and the healthy horses.
The immunohistochemical results noted a difference in the distribution of cytokeratins between the two groups in the basal cells of the matrix of the stratum medium of the hoof wall and the basal and suprabasal cells in the stratum internum at the mid-level of the hoof wall.
Conclusion
Despite noting differences in the distribution of cytokeratins, the study could not conclusively determine whether these differences were associated directly with the onset of laminitis or were a response to local tissue-repair efforts.
This indicates that further research is necessary to clarify the role and behavior of cytokeratins in the development and progression of laminitis.
Cite This Article
APA
Wattle O.
(2001).
Cytokeratins of the stratum medium and stratum internum of the equine hoof wall in acute laminitis.
Acta Vet Scand, 41(4), 363-379.
https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03549627
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala. ove.wattle@kirmed.slu.se
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