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PloS one2021; 16(7); e0253730; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253730

Histological and biomechanical properties of systemic arteries in young and old Warmblood horses.

Abstract: Arterial rupture is a well-recognized cause of sudden death in horses, which mainly affects older horses. The arterial wall is known to stiffen with age, although the underlying age-related histological and biomechanical changes remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aging by histological analysis of the arterial wall and examination of the arterial wall biomechanical properties using an inflation-extension test. Entire circular samples of the proximal and distal aorta, cranial and caudal common carotid, external iliac, femoral and median artery were collected from 6 young (6 years) and 14 old horses (≥15 years). Samples of all arteries were histologically examined and intima media thickness as well as area % of elastin, smooth muscle actin and collagen type I and III were determined. Older horses had a significantly larger intima media thickness and a significantly higher area % of smooth muscle actin compared to young horses. Samples of the proximal and distal aorta, the caudal common carotid and the external iliac artery were mechanically assessed using an in-house developed inflation-extension device with ultrasound analysis. Rupture occurred in a minority of arteries (8/78) at high pressures (between 250-300 mmHg), and mostly occurred in older horses (7/8). Pressure-area, pressure-compliance and pressure-distensibility curves were constructed. A significant difference in the pressure-area curves of the distal aorta, common carotid artery and external iliac artery, the pressure-compliance curves of the proximal aorta and carotid artery and the pressure-distensibility curve of the proximal aorta was observed between young and old horses. Results demonstrate an effect of age on the histological and biomechanical properties of the arterial wall, which might explain why arterial rupture occurs more often in older horses.
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Publication Date: 2021-07-12 PubMed ID: 34252105PubMed Central: PMC8274928DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253730Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
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  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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 study investigated how aging influences the walls of various arteries in horses, and how these changes might contribute to a higher risk of arterial rupture in older horses. The authors conducted histological analyses of arterial tissues and carried out biomechanical tests, finding that aging resulted in thicker arterial walls and increased presence of certain proteins, among other changes.

Background and Objective of the Study

  • The authors of this research aimed to understand the causes of arterial rupture, a common cause of sudden death in aging horses. Specifically, they wanted to investigate how age affects the histological (microscopic tissue structure) and biomechanical (physical properties) aspects of arterial walls in horses.

Methodology

  • The research took samples from different types of arteries from 6 young horses (aged 6 years) and 14 older horses (aged 15 years and above).
  • The researchers then conducted histological examinations of these samples, observing attributes like wall thickness and the proportion of certain proteins (elastin, smooth muscle actin, and collagen types I and III).
  • The team also mechanically tested certain sampled arteries using a custom inflation-extension setup with ultrasound analysis.

Findings

  • The study found that older horses had a significantly larger arterial wall thickness and a significantly higher area percentage of smooth muscle actin, compared to young horses.
  • Ruptures occurred in a small number of arteries (8 out of 78) at high pressures, with the majority of these ruptures happening in the older horses.
  • Distinct differences were observed between young and old horses in the pressure-area curves of the distal aorta, common carotid artery, and external iliac artery. Similar disparities were found in the pressure-compliance curves of the proximal aorta and carotid artery, as well as the pressure-distensibility curve of the proximal aorta.

Conclusion

  • The findings of the study offer substantial evidence of how aging impacts the histological and biomechanical attributes of horse arteries. This insight could help explain the greater incidence of arterial rupture in older horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Vera L, Muylle S, Van Steenkiste G, Segers P, Decloedt A, Chiers K, van Loon G. (2021). Histological and biomechanical properties of systemic arteries in young and old Warmblood horses. PLoS One, 16(7), e0253730. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253730

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 16
Issue: 7
Pages: e0253730
PII: e0253730

Researcher Affiliations

Vera, Lisse
  • Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Equine Cardioteam Ghent University, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Muylle, Sofie
  • Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Van Steenkiste, Glenn
  • Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Equine Cardioteam Ghent University, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Segers, Patrick
  • IBiTech-bioMMeda, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Decloedt, Annelies
  • Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Equine Cardioteam Ghent University, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Chiers, Koen
  • Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
van Loon, Gunther
  • Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Equine Cardioteam Ghent University, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.

MeSH Terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aging / physiology
  • Animals
  • Arteries / physiopathology
  • Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
  • Horses / physiology
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / physiopathology
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / veterinary
  • Vascular Diseases / physiopathology
  • Vascular Diseases / veterinary

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Siwinska N, Janus I, Zak-Bochenek A, Noszczyk-Nowak A. Influence of Obesity on Histological Tissue Structure of the Cardiovascular System in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Mar 15;12(6).
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