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BMC veterinary research2019; 15(1); 397; doi: 10.1186/s12917-019-2144-x

Effect of injected dexamethasone on relative cytokine mRNA expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in horses with mild asthma.

Abstract: Mild equine asthma is a common inflammatory airway disease of the horse. The primary treatment of mild equine asthma is corticosteroids. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of injected dexamethasone on relative IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p35, IL-17, IL-23, IFN-γ, Eotaxin-2 and TNF-α mRNA expression in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in healthy Thoroughbred horses (n = 6), and those with mild equine asthma (n = 7). Results: Horses with mild equine asthma had a significantly greater bronchoalveolar lavage mast cell percentage than healthy horses both before and after treatment. Mild equine asthma was associated with a 4.95-fold up-regulation of IL-17 (p = 0.026) and a 2.54-fold down-regulation of IL-10 (p = 0.049) compared to healthy horses. TNF-α was down-regulated in response to dexamethasone treatment in both healthy horses (3.03-fold, p = 0.023) and those with mild equine asthma (1.75-fold, p = 0.023). IL-5 was also down-regulated in horses with mild asthma (2.17-fold, p = 0.048). Conclusions: Horses with mild equine asthma have a lower concentration of IL-10 in BAL fluid than healthy controls which concurs with human asthmatics. The marked up-regulation of IL-17 in horses with mild asthma suggests these horses had a true tendency of "allergic" airway inflammation in response to environmental allergens. Dexamethasone administration exerted anti-inflammatory effects associated with down-regulation of TNF-α in all horses, and decreased levels of IL-5 mRNA expression in horses with mild equine asthma. The inhibition of the Th-2 response, without any alterations to the airway cytology, indicates that maintained exposure to environmental allergens perpetuates airway inflammation.
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Publication Date: 2019-11-06 PubMed ID: 31694631PubMed Central: PMC6833259DOI: 10.1186/s12917-019-2144-xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Veterinary

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.

The study evaluates how injected dexamethasone alters the expression of various cytokine mRNAs within bronchial fluids in horses with mild asthma, compared to its effects in healthy horses. The results suggest that horses with mild asthma had distinct differences in cytokine levels and that dexamethasone helped lower the inflammatory responses in these horses.

Research Design and Methodology

  • The research involved studying the effects of dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, on Thoroughbred horses, both healthy ones and those suffering from mild equine asthma.
  • The researchers focused on the expression of a series of cytokines, immune system signalling proteins, within the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of these horses. Cytokines studied included IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p35, IL-17, IL-23, IFN-γ, Eotaxin-2, and TNF-α.
  • By comparing the expressions of these cytokines before and after dexamethasone treatment, the research aimed to elucidate the biological response to the drug in healthy and asthmatic horses.

Key Findings

  • Horses with mild equine asthma showed a greater percentage of mast cells in BAL fluid both before and after treatment compared to healthy horses.
  • A 4.95-fold up-regulation of IL-17 and 2.54-fold down-regulation of IL-10 was observed in asthmatic horses as compared to healthy ones, indicating distinct differences in cytokine levels.
  • Dexamethasone treatment caused a down-regulation of TNF-α in both categories of horses, indicating its anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Additionally, the treatment down-regulated IL-5 in horses suffering from mild asthma.

Conclusions

  • The results suggest that the lower concentration of IL-10 in BAL fluid of horses with mild asthma is consistent with patterns observed in human asthmatics.
  • The up-regulation of IL-17 points to a true tendency of “allergic” airway inflammation in response to environmental allergens in horses with mild asthma.
  • The research highlighted the anti-inflammatory effects of dexamethasone, as evidenced by the down-regulation of TNF-α in all horses and a decrease in IL-5 mRNA expression in asthmatic horses.
  • Based on the lack of alterations to airway cytology even after dexamethasone treatment, it can be inferred that continued exposure to environmental allergens may perpetuate airway inflammation in asthmatic horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Bond SL, Hundt J, Léguillette R. (2019). Effect of injected dexamethasone on relative cytokine mRNA expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in horses with mild asthma. BMC Vet Res, 15(1), 397. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-019-2144-x

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 1
Pages: 397
PII: 397

Researcher Affiliations

Bond, Stephanie L
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Hundt, Jana
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Léguillette, Renaud
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. rleguill@ucalgary.ca.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Asthma / drug therapy
  • Asthma / veterinary
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / chemistry
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dexamethasone / pharmacology
  • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Mast Cells / drug effects
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
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