Effect of intra-arterial cisplatin on dorsal hoof wall tissue of isolated perfused equine limbs.

This research focuses on the investigation of the effects of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin on horse hoof tissues, specifically when administered intra-arterially. The study examines potential risks prior to recommending this treatment for live horses affected by hoof canker, a chronic condition affecting their hoof tissues.

Research Methodology

The research was carried out on the forelimbs of thirteen horses, which underwent an eight-hour perfusion protocol. Over these eight hours, nine of the limbs were exposed to a 20-minute intra-arterial infusion of cisplatin, which was introduced via autologous blood-plasma perfusate.

• The tissue samples from the dorsal hoof wall were collected post-treatment for analysis.
• These samples underwent histological analysis using hematoxylin and eosin stains, and immunohistochemical investigation employing laminin and Ki-67.
• A linear mixed model analysis was conducted for comparative purposes to observe any effects of the cisplatin treatment on the horse hoof tissues.

Research Findings

The results of the analysis provided specific data about the effect of cisplatin treatment on the dorsal hoof wall tissue:

• Primary and secondary epidermal lamellae’s appearance was not affected significantly.
• Damage at the basal membrane was evident, proven by weaker laminin staining intensity in the limbs treated with cisplatin compared to the control group (p = 0.005).
• The cisplatin-treated samples showed varying staining intensities: 54% weak, 37% moderate, and 9% strong staining intensities. Contrastingly, control samples presented different distribution: 12% weak, 53% moderate, and 35% strong staining intensities.
• The number of Ki-67 positive basal cells present in the primary epidermal lamellae was not affected by cisplatin.

Conclusion

The consequences of short-term cisplatin exposure were identified as being harmful, especially to the basal membrane of the dorsal hoof wall. This poses a high risk of triggering laminitis, a painful inflammatory condition that affects horse hooves. So, despite cisplatin’s potential benefits in treating hoof canker, significant considerations and further study are necessary before intra-arterial application in live horses could be advised.