Gene transcripts expressed in equine white blood cells are potential biomarkers of extracorporeal shock wave therapy.

This research explores the possibility of using gene transcripts in horse white blood cells as markers to indicate if the horse has undergone the extracorporeal shockwave therapy, a treatment applied to sport horses to relieve pain and prompt healing.

Research Background

• Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a common approach used for the management of musculoskeletal issues in sport horses. The therapy not only assists in mitigating pain but also promotes rapid healing.
• On the flip side, ESWT can cause instant tissue damage which may predispose the animals to catastrophic events, especially when administered just before high-effort competitions like horse racing. Numerous racing jurisdictions have therefore banned ESWT usage within ten days leading to any competition.
• There is a pressing need for a test to detect whether a horse has been subjected to ESWT. ESWT tends to alter protein levels of inflammatory mediators in the blood, which is mostly produced by white blood cells (WBC). Changes in gene expression often come before changes in protein synthesis. Therefore, the researchers hypothesized that changes in WBC gene transcripts could be used to indicate if a horse has received ESWT.

Research Methodology

• To validate this hypothesis, the researchers subjected six thoroughbred horses to a single ESWT treatment in their distal limb. They then obtained and analyzed WBC RNA from blood samples collected at various intervals (0, 2, 4, 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours) after the ESWT treatment.
• Both targeted and untargeted analysis techniques, including quantitative PCR (qPCR) and microarray, were employed to scrutinize the transcriptome.

Research Outcomes

• The researchers found that the gene expression of several proteins such as IL-1α, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-1Ra1, IL-1Ra2, TGF-β1, and BMPR1A in circulating WBCs significantly increased after ESWT therapy.
• On the contrary, the gene expression of IFN-γ, ZNF483, TMEM80, CAH6, ENPP, and S8723 declined significantly at different time intervals following ESWT treatment.
• The findings from the study hence lend support to the initial hypothesis, suggesting that specific changes in WBC gene transcripts could indeed be used as potential biomarkers for ESWT.