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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Experimentally-induced synovitis as a model for acute synovi...
Equine veterinary journal1994; 26(6); 492-495; doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1994.tb04056.x

Experimentally-induced synovitis as a model for acute synovitis in the horse.

Abstract: The use of extremely small dosages of intra-articular E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin can create a model of synovitis that mimics acute synovitis in horses. Dosages of 5000 ng, 25 ng, 0.5 ng, 0.25 ng, 0.17 ng and 0.125 ng per joint were injected into various joints of a total of 6 horses. The dose response of LPS on clinical signs and synovial fluid parameters was evaluated at baseline and 12, 24, 36 and 48 h after LPS injection. Peripheral venous blood analysis was performed at baseline and at 0, 4, and 12 h after LPS injection. Dosages greater than 0.5 ng/joint resulted in clinical signs of endotoxaemia including fever, depression, inappetence and non-weightbearing lameness. Although the total peripheral venous leucocyte count was not decreased at any dosage, the 5000 ng/joint dosage of LPS altered venous leucocyte differential resulting in an increase in the number of segmented and band neutrophils with a concomitant decrease in lymphocytes. Synovial fluid total nucleated cell count (TNC) and total protein (TP) was linearly responsive to increases in intra-articular LPS dosages up to the 0.5 ng/joint dose. At dosages of LPS > 0.5 ng, synovial fluid mean +/- s.e.m. TNC and TP were 122.0 +/- 27 x 10(9) cells/l and 59.3 +/- 1.7 milligrams respectively, at 12 h after injection. This may represent the maximal response of the joint to increased concentrations of LPS endotoxin over 0.5 ng/joint.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Publication Date: 1994-11-01 PubMed ID: 7889925DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1994.tb04056.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support
  • U.S. Gov't
  • P.H.S.

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 paper investigates how small dosages of E. coli endotoxin could be used to mimic acute synovitis, a condition that causes inflammation in the joints of horses. Experiments were conducted by injecting different dosages into the joints of horses and analyzing the body’s response.

Methodology and Experiment Design

  • The researchers used E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin in very small dosages to model acute synovitis in horses. Synovitis is an inflammation of the joint lining that often causes pain and stiffness.
  • Different dosages of this toxin, ranging from 5000 ng per joint to 0.125 ng per joint, were injected into various joints of the test subjects – in this case, six horses.
  • The effect of LPS on the clinical signs of inflammation and the parameters of the synovial fluid (fluid that lubricates the joints) was assessed at several time intervals (0, 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours) after injection.
  • Peripheral venous blood was also analyzed at baseline and at 0, 4, and 12 hours post-injection to assess the systemic impact of the treatment.

Results and Findings

  • Dosages greater than 0.5 ng per joint led to clinical signs of endotoxemia in the horses, including fever, depression, loss of appetite, and non-weightbearing lameness.
  • While the overall count of peripheral venous leukocytes (white blood cells) stayed the same across all dosages, the highest dosage (5000 ng/joint) altered the leukocyte composition in the blood, leading to an increase in the number of certain neutrophil types (white blood cells) and a decrease in lymphocytes (another type of white blood cell).
  • The synovial fluid’s total nucleated cell count (TNC) and total protein (TP) linearly responded to an increase in LPS dosage up to 0.5 ng/joint. This indicated that the body’s response to the inflammation stimulus seems to be dose-dependent until it reaches a saturation point.
  • At higher dosages, the mean TNC and TP values were high, suggesting a maximal inflammatory response in the joint to LPS concentrations over 0.5 ng/joint.

Conclusion

  • This study demonstrated that dosages of E. coli LPS endotoxin can be used to stimulate synovitis in horses, thereby providing a model for researchers studying joint inflammation.
  • The findings also highlight the role of LPS toxin in inducing both local inflammation (at the site of the joint) and systemic signs (affecting the whole body), providing insights into the body’s inflammatory response.

Cite This Article

APA
Palmer JL, Bertone AL. (1994). Experimentally-induced synovitis as a model for acute synovitis in the horse. Equine Vet J, 26(6), 492-495. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1994.tb04056.x

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 0425-1644
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 26
Issue: 6
Pages: 492-495

Researcher Affiliations

Palmer, J L
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1089.
Bertone, A L

    MeSH Terms

    • Acute Disease
    • Animals
    • Disease Models, Animal
    • Escherichia coli
    • Female
    • Horse Diseases / metabolism
    • Horse Diseases / pathology
    • Horses
    • Lipopolysaccharides
    • Male
    • Synovial Fluid / chemistry
    • Synovial Fluid / cytology
    • Synovitis / etiology
    • Synovitis / metabolism
    • Synovitis / pathology
    • Synovitis / veterinary
    • Time Factors

    Citations

    This article has been cited 31 times.
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