Equine Sarcoids-Causes, Molecular Changes, and Clinicopathologic Features: A Review.
Abstract: Equine sarcoid is the most common skin tumor of horses. Clinically, it occurs as a locally invasive, fibroblastic, wart-like lesion of equine skin, which has 6 clinical classes: occult, verrucose, nodular, fibroblastic, mixed, and malignant. Sarcoids may be single but multiple lesions are more frequent. The typical histological feature is increased density of dermal fibroblasts which form interlacing bundles and whorls within the dermis. Lesions are mostly persistent, resist therapy, and tend to recur following treatment. In general, sarcoids are not fatal but their location, size, and progression to the more aggressive form may lead to the withdrawal of a horse from use and serious infringement of their welfare leading to the loss of valuable animals. Bovine papillomavirus (BPV) type 1 and less commonly type 2 contribute to the development of equine sarcoid. The viral genome and proteins are detected in a high percentage of cases. Furthermore, viral oncoprotein activity leads to changes in the fibroblastic tissue similar to changes seen in other types of tumors. Equine sarcoids are characterized by a loss of tumor suppressor activity and changes allowing abnormal formation of the affected tissue, as well as y immune defense abnormalities that weaken the host's immune response. This impaired immune response to BPV infection appears to be crucial for the development of lesions that do not spontaneously regress, as occurs in BPV-infected cows.
Publication Date: 2021-01-19 PubMed ID: 33461443DOI: 10.1177/0300985820985114Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This article reviews research on equine sarcoids (a common skin tumor in horses), exploring the causes, characteristics, and clinical features of this disease. The study also investigates the role of Bovine Papillomavirus (BPV) in the development of these tumors.
Understanding Equine Sarcoids
- Equine sarcoids are a common skin tumor in horses causing wart-like skin lesions. They are locally invasive and fibroblastic (consisting of fibrous tissue).
- The tumors present in six clinical classes: occult, verrucose, nodular, fibroblastic, mixed, and malignant.
- Typically, a histological observation of sarcoids reveals a higher density of dermal fibroblasts arranged in random bundles and whorls within the skin’s dermal layer.
- Despite not being fatal, these lesions are persistent, tend to resist treatment, and are prone to recurrence. due to their location, size, and potential transformation into more aggressive forms, significant damage can be caused to the horse’s welfare, sometimes necessitating withdrawal from use.
Role of Bovine Papillomavirus (BPV)
- Bovine Papillomavirus (BPV) type 1, and less commonly type 2, have been found to contribute to the development of equine sarcoids. This virus’s genome and proteins are detected in a significant number of sarcoid cases.
- The viral oncogene activity induces changes in the fibroblastic tissue. These alterations are similar to those seen in other types of tumors, signifying the contributory role of BPV in sarcoids.
Tumor Progression and Immune Response
- Equine sarcoids are characterized by a loss of tumor suppressor activity and changes that enable the abnormal formation of the affected tissue. This deregulation paves the way for tumor progression.
- Equine sarcoids are also associated with immune defense abnormalities that weaken the host’s immune response. The impaired immune response to BPV infection is critical for the development of persistent lesions as opposed to spontaneously regressing lesions seen in BPV-infected cows.
Cite This Article
APA
Ogłuszka M, Starzyński RR, Pierzchała M, Otrocka-Domagała I, Raś A.
(2021).
Equine Sarcoids-Causes, Molecular Changes, and Clinicopathologic Features: A Review.
Vet Pathol, 58(3), 472-482.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0300985820985114 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the 49559Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzębiec, Poland.
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the 49559Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzębiec, Poland.
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the 49559Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzębiec, Poland.
- 49674University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
- 49674University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Bovine papillomavirus 1 / genetics
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases
- DNA, Viral
- Horse Diseases
- Horses
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / veterinary
- Papillomavirus Infections / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Pawlina-Tyszko K, Semik-Gurgul E, Ząbek T, Witkowski M. Methylation Status of Gene Bodies of Selected microRNA Genes Associated with Neoplastic Transformation in Equine Sarcoids.. Cells 2022 Jun 14;11(12).
- Munday JS, Orbell G, Fairley RA, Hardcastle M, Vaatstra B. Evidence from a Series of 104 Equine Sarcoids Suggests That Most Sarcoids in New Zealand Are Caused by Bovine Papillomavirus Type 2, although Both BPV1 and BPV2 DNA Are Detectable in around 10% of Sarcoids.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Oct 29;11(11).
- Ogihara K, Ishihara A, Nagai M, Yamada K, Mizutani T, Harafuji M, Nishio H, Madarame H. Equine sarcoid of the glans penis with bovine papillomavirus type 1 in a miniature horse (Falabella).. J Vet Med Sci 2021 Jul 10;83(6):1016-1021.
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