Horses affected by EPM have increased sCD14 compared to healthy horses.
Abstract: Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a debilitating neurologic disease affecting horses across the Americas. Gaps in understanding the inflammatory immune response in EPM-affected horses create difficulties with diagnosis and treatment, subsequently negatively impacting the prognosis of affected horses. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate circulating levels of the inflammatory immune marker soluble CD14 (sCD14), in horses with EPM (n = 7) and determine if they differed from healthy neurologically normal horses (n = 6). Paired sera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were analyzed for sCD14. Inclusion criteria for EPM horses consisted of the presence of neurologic signs consistent with EPM, Sarcocystis neurona surface antigens 2, 4/3 (SnSAG 2, 4/3) ELISA serum: CSF antibody ratio ≤ 100, and a postmortem diagnosis of EPM. Control horses were neurologically normal, healthy horses with SnSAG 2, 4/3 ELISA serum: CSF antibody ratios of > 100. Serum anti-Sarcocystis neurona antibodies indicate that healthy control horses were exposed to S. neurona but resistant to developing clinical EPM. EPM cases had significantly greater concentrations of sCD14 in CSF samples compared to control horses and increased serum sCD14 concentrations. A positive correlation between sCD14 serum and CSF concentrations was observed in EPM-affected horses but not healthy horses. Soluble CD14 is an inflammatory marker, and the study results suggest it is elevated in EPM patients. When performed in conjunction with clinical evaluation and standard antibody testing, there may be potential for sCD14 to be utilized as a correlate for EPM.
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2021-10-22 PubMed ID: 34717126DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2021.110338Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Antibodies
- Biomarkers
- Cerebrospinal Fluid
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis
- Horses
- Immune Response
- Immunology
- Inflammatory Response
- Neurological Diseases
- Pathophysiology
- Prognosis
- Sarcocystis
- Serum
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Practice
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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This study examines the connection between EPM, a neurologic disease in horses, and an inflammatory immune marker called sCD14. The researchers found that horses affected by EPM have higher levels of sCD14 than healthy ones, suggesting it could potentially be used to help diagnose or manage the disease.
Objective of the Study
- The primary goal of this research was to study the level of soluble CD14 (sCD14), an inflammatory immune marker, in horses with Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM).
- The researchers wanted to establish if there were differing levels of sCD14 in horses with the disease compared to healthy, neurologically normal horses. This could help improve diagnosis and treatment approaches for EPM.
Methodology
- The sample consisted of horses with EPM (7 in number) and healthy horses (6 in number).
- Both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from each horse were harvested for analysis.
- To be included in the EPM group, horses needed to exhibit neurologic signs consistent with EPM, a serum:antibody ratio in the CSF ≤ 100 when tested for Sarcocystis neurona surface antigens (SnSAG 2, 4/3) with ELISA, and a postmortem diagnosis of EPM.
- Healthy control horses were those that showed no sign of neurological abnormality, and their SnSAG 2, 4/3 ELISA serum: CSF antibody ratios were > 100.
Key Findings
- It was found that horses affected by EPM had significantly higher concentrations of the immune marker sCD14 in their CSF samples than the control horses.
- The serum sCD14 concentrations levels also increased in EPM-affected horses.
- Interestingly, a positive correlation was observed between sCD14 levels in serum and CSF samples in horses with EPM but not in healthy ones.
Implications and Conclusions
- The significant increase in sCD14 concentration in both the serum and CSF samples of EPM-affected horses suggests that inflammation plays a part in the progression of the disease.
- These research results point towards the potential use of sCD14 as a comparative marker for EPM, which could aid in its diagnosis. However, this marker should be considered in conjunction with clinical evaluation and standard antibody testing.
Cite This Article
APA
Hay AN, Wagner B, Leeth CM, LeRoith T, Cecere TE, Lahmers KK, Andrews FM, Werre SR, Johnson AL, Clark CK, Pusterla N, Reed SM, Lindsay DS, Taylor S, Estell KE, Furr M, MacKay RJ, Del Piero F, Witonsky SG.
(2021).
Horses affected by EPM have increased sCD14 compared to healthy horses.
Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 242, 110338.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetimm.2021.110338 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Equine Health Studies Program, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Department of Clinical Studies, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, PA, USA.
- Peterson and Smith Equine Hospital, Ocala, FL, USA.
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
- Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington, KY, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, Leesburg, VA, USA.
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: switonsk@vt.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cerebrospinal Fluid
- Encephalomyelitis / veterinary
- Horse Diseases
- Horses
- Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / analysis
- Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / blood
Citations
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