Gluten-dependent antibodies in horses with inflammatory small bowel disease (ISBD).

This research investigates the potential role of gluten in Equine Inflammatory Small Bowel Disease (ISBD). Notably, one horse demonstrated a marked improvement in both clinical symptoms and antibody levels after adhering to a gluten-free diet for six months.

Research Objective

• The primary objective of this research was to investigate the potential role of gluten in Equine Inflammatory Small Bowel Disease (ISBD), a currently idiopathic condition thought to be on the rise among horses. This investigation was conducted via the assessment of antibodies associated with human Coeliac Disease (CD) in horses.

Methodology

• Several antibodies known to be important indicators of human Coeliac Disease (IgA antibodies to human recombinant and guinea pig tissue-transglutaminase, native gliadin, deamidated-gliadin-peptides and primate and equine endomysium) were tested in blood samples from three different groups of horses.
• The groups comprised of 12 ISBD-affected horses on a gluten-rich diet and two control groups consisting of 22 horses on a gluten-rich diet and 25 horses on a gluten-poor diet.
• The Wilcoxon test was utilized to assess significant differences between the groups.

Results and Conclusion

• There were statistically significant higher titer levels of human recombinant anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies in both ISBD-affected horses and the gluten-rich control group when compared to the gluten-poor control group.
• There was no substantial increase in the levels of any of the Coeliac Disease-related antibodies in ISBD-affected horses when compared to the gluten-rich control group. However, one particular ISBD horse displayed starkly increased levels of these antibodies.
• After this ISBD horse was put on a gluten-free diet, both antibody levels and clinical conditions substantially improved after six months.
• This study suggests a potential link between gluten and equine ISBD. However, further research is necessary to comprehensively understand the potential immunological basis of a possible gluten-sensitive enteropathy in horses, and any analogy that could be drawn with human conditions.