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Veterinary research communications2012; 36(4); 221-226; doi: 10.1007/s11259-012-9533-y

Differential expression of TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) in the central nervous system of horses afflicted with equine motor neuron disease (EMND): a preliminary study of a potential pathologic marker.

Abstract: Equine motor neuron disease (EMND) is a neurodegenerative disorder of unknown etiology affecting horses worldwide. Trans-Active Response DNA Binding Protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) has been reported in the central nervous system (CNS) of several neurodegenerative conditions in humans including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and assumed to play role in the disease. We examined whether horses afflicted with EMND express the TDP-43 in CNS. Ten horses with EMND and 6 controls of different ages and breed we enrolled. Detection of presence of TDP-43 protein in the CNS was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining using rabbit anti-human TARDBP (TDP-43) polyclonal antibody. Formalin fixed neuronal tissues from medulla, cervical, and lumbar spinal cord were harvested from EMND and from control horses. Sections were assigned randomly to TDP-43 treated or rabbit anti-IgG as control. Nuclear staining of TDP-43 was detected in one of the neural tissues of 75 % of EMND-positive and 0 of 0 % of control horses in the central nervous system (medulla, and/or cervical spinal cord and/or lumbar spinal cord). TDP-43 antibody was detected in the nucleus of EMND horses and no cytoplasmic staining was noted. As in ALS, there was no pattern of age clustering associated with the detection of TDP-43. This is the first report on the staining of TDP-43 in neuronal tissues of horses and suggests that TDP-43 may play a role in the pathogenesis of EMND. Further studies are needed to elucidate the etiologic role of this protein in the diseases.
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Publication Date: 2012-08-24 PubMed ID: 22918699DOI: 10.1007/s11259-012-9533-yGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research explores the presence and potential role of a protein, TDP-43, in horses affected by a neurodegenerative disorder known as equine motor neuron disease (EMND). The researchers discovered that TDP-43 was found more frequently in the central nervous system (CNS) of horses with EMND compared to healthy horses.

Introduction

  • The study mainly revolved around equine motor neuron disease (EMND), a neurodegenerative illness that affects horses globally but whose causes are unknown.
  • TDP-43, the protein under investigation, has been previously observed in the CNS of humans affected by neurodegenerative conditions, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
  • The researchers hypothesized that if TDP-43 is also present in horses with EMND, it may play a possible role in the advancement of the disease.

Methods

  • The study enlisted ten horses diagnosed with EMND and six healthy horses of different ages and breeds as controls.
  • The investigators used an immunohistochemical staining technique with a special antibody to detect the presence of the TDP-43 protein in the CNS.
  • Neuronal tissues from the medulla, cervical, and lumbar spinal cord were collected from both EMND-diagnosed and control horses.
  • The specimens were randomly assigned to be treated with TDP-43 or a control solution.

Findings

  • The researchers observed TDP-43 in the nuclei of neural tissues in 75% of horses with EMND, but not in any of the healthy control horses.
  • The TDP-43 antibody was identified in the nucleus of neurons in EMND horses, with no cytoplasmic staining observed.
  • Unlike ALS, the researchers did not find any association between the detection of TDP-43 and the age of the horses.

Conclusions

  • This is the first study reporting the staining of TDP-43 in neuronal tissues of horses, indicating that this protein might play a role in the development of EMND in horses.
  • Future studies are needed to better understand the function of this protein in the disease process, which can possibly direct toward breakthroughs in its diagnosis, prevention, or treatment.

Cite This Article

APA
El-Assaad I, Di Bari JA, Yasuda K, Divers TJ, Summers BA, de Lahunta A, Mohammed H. (2012). Differential expression of TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) in the central nervous system of horses afflicted with equine motor neuron disease (EMND): a preliminary study of a potential pathologic marker. Vet Res Commun, 36(4), 221-226. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-012-9533-y

Publication

Veterinary research communications
ISSN: 1573-7446
NlmUniqueID: 8100520
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 36
Issue: 4
Pages: 221-226

Researcher Affiliations

El-Assaad, Iqbal
  • Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, S1 070 Schurman Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Di Bari, Jeremy A
    Yasuda, Koji
      Divers, Thomas J
        Summers, Brian A
          de Lahunta, Alexander
            Mohammed, Hussni

              MeSH Terms

              • Animals
              • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / metabolism
              • Biomarkers / metabolism
              • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
              • Horse Diseases / metabolism
              • Horse Diseases / pathology
              • Horses
              • Medulla Oblongata / metabolism
              • Medulla Oblongata / pathology
              • Motor Neuron Disease / metabolism
              • Motor Neuron Disease / pathology
              • Motor Neuron Disease / veterinary
              • Rabbits
              • Retrospective Studies
              • Spinal Cord / metabolism
              • Spinal Cord / pathology

              Grant Funding

              • IR29NS2967-01AL / NINDS NIH HHS

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              Citations

              This article has been cited 3 times.
              1. Prpar Mihevc S, Majdič G. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction and Alzheimer's Disease - Two Facets of the Same Disease?. Front Neurosci 2019;13:604.
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              2. Sasaki N, Imamura Y, Sekiya A, Itoh M, Furuoka H. Four cases of equine motor neuron disease in Japan. J Equine Sci 2016;27(3):119-124.
                doi: 10.1294/jes.27.119pubmed: 27703407google scholar: lookup
              3. Koprivec S, Majdič G. Extracellular Vesicles in Domestic Animals: Cellular Communication in Health and Disease. Adv Exp Med Biol 2024;1450:39-57.
                doi: 10.1007/5584_2023_779pubmed: 37421538google scholar: lookup
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