Expression of interleukin-1beta in the digital laminae of horses in the prodromal stage of experimentally induced laminitis.
Abstract: To study expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in the digital laminae of horses in the prodromal stage of experimentally induced laminitis. Methods: 8 healthy adult horses with no signs of laminitis. Methods: Black walnut extract was administered via nasogastric tube to 4 horses, and water was administered to the remaining 4 (controls). Complete blood counts and physical examinations were performed every 30 minutes after administration of black walnut extract or water. General anesthesia was induced when total WBC count decreased by 30% in horses given the black walnut extract and 3 hours after water administration in control horses. The left forefoot was perfusion fixed with neutral-buffered 10% formalin, and paraffin-embedded sections of the digit were used for in situ hybridization with an equine-specific IL-1beta probe. Results: IL-1beta mRNA expression was observed in perivascular cells of the small laminar venules and capillaries in all 4 horses given black walnut extract and in interstitial cells remote from the microvasculature in 1 of the 4. Other cellular components of the laminar tissue and cellular components of the digital arterioles and veins did not exhibit IL-1beta mRNA expression. Expression of IL-1beta mRNA was not detected in laminae from control horses. Conclusions: Results suggest that IL-1beta mRNA is expressed by perivascular cells in the laminar tissues of horses in the prodromal stage of experimentally induced laminitis. This provides evidence of an inflammatory process during the prodromal stage of laminitis, indicating that local digital proinflammatory cytokine expression may be an initiating factor in laminitis.
Publication Date: 2001-05-09 PubMed ID: 11341391DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.2001.62.714Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research aimed to study the expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in horse’s foot tissue during the early stages of experimentally induced laminitis, shedding light on the role of an inflammatory process in the initiation of this condition.
Methodology
- The research involved eight healthy adult horses with no previous signs of laminitis.
- Black walnut extract, known to induce laminitis symptoms, was administered via a tube to the stomach in four horses. The remaining four horses (controls) received water.
- Evaluations, including complete blood counts and physical examinations, were performed every half hour following administration.
- General anesthesia was used when total white blood cell count decreased by 30% in horses given the walnut extract. Anesthesia was induced three hours after water administration in control horses.
- Foot tissue samples were collected, treated, and paraffin-embedded for in situ hybridization with equine-specific IL-1beta probe to detect IL-1beta mRNA expression.
Results
- mRNA expression of IL-1beta was observed in perivascular cells of small venous and capillary vessels in all horses administered with the black walnut extract.
- Interstitial cells remote from the microvasculature also showed IL-1beta mRNA expression in one out of the four horses subjected to the black walnut extract.
- No IL-1beta mRNA expression was observed in other cellular components of the foot tissue or in the components of the major vessels.
- Laminar tissues from control horses did not exhibit any IL-1beta mRNA expression.
Conclusions
- The study results suggest that IL-1beta mRNA is expressed by perivascular cells in the foot tissues of horses at the early stage of induced laminitis.
- This indicates that an inflammatory process, marked by local digital proinflammatory cytokine expression, may play a key role in the initiation of laminitis.
Cite This Article
APA
Fontaine GL, Belknap JK, Allen D, Moore JN, Kroll DL.
(2001).
Expression of interleukin-1beta in the digital laminae of horses in the prodromal stage of experimentally induced laminitis.
Am J Vet Res, 62(5), 714-720.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2001.62.714 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Surgery and Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Foot Diseases / metabolism
- Foot Diseases / pathology
- Foot Diseases / veterinary
- Forelimb / metabolism
- Forelimb / pathology
- Hoof and Claw / metabolism
- Hoof and Claw / pathology
- Horse Diseases / metabolism
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- In Situ Hybridization
- Interleukin-1 / analysis
- Interleukin-1 / biosynthesis
- Interleukin-1 / genetics
- Lameness, Animal / metabolism
- Lameness, Animal / pathology
- Leukocyte Count / veterinary
- RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
- RNA, Messenger / genetics
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Zamith Cunha R, Gobbo F, Morini M, Salamanca G, Zanoni A, Bernardini C, Gramenzi A, Chiocchetti R. Cannabinoid and cannabinoid related receptors in fibroblasts, inflammatory and endothelial cells of the equine hoof with and without laminitis: novel pharmacological target. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1723160.
- Li H, Liu J, Zhu W, Mao S. Intraruminal infusion of oligofructose alters ruminal microbiota and induces acute laminitis in sheep. J Anim Sci 2017 Dec;95(12):5407-5419.
- Dern K, van Eps A, Wittum T, Watts M, Pollitt C, Belknap J. Effect of Continuous Digital Hypothermia on Lamellar Inflammatory Signaling When Applied at a Clinically-Relevant Timepoint in the Oligofructose Laminitis Model. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Jan;32(1):450-458.
- Zhang G, Hailemariam D, Dervishi E, Deng Q, Goldansaz SA, Dunn SM, Ametaj BN. Alterations of Innate Immunity Reactants in Transition Dairy Cows before Clinical Signs of Lameness. Animals (Basel) 2015 Aug 14;5(3):717-47.
- Leise BS, Watts MR, Roy S, Yilmaz AS, Alder H, Belknap JK. Use of laser capture microdissection for the assessment of equine lamellar basal epithelial cell signalling in the early stages of laminitis. Equine Vet J 2015 Jul;47(4):478-88.
- Coyne MJ, Cousin H, Loftus JP, Johnson PJ, Belknap JK, Gradil CM, Black SJ, Alfandari D. Cloning and expression of ADAM-related metalloproteases in equine laminitis. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2009 Jun 15;129(3-4):231-41.
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