Increased susceptibility of skin from HERDA (Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia)-affected horses to bacterial collagenase degradation: a potential contributing factor to the clinical signs of HERDA.
Abstract: Hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) is a genetic disorder of collagen resulting in fragile, hyper-extensible skin and ulcerative lesions. The predominance of skin lesions have been shown to occur on the dorsum of HERDA-affected horses. While this has been postulated to be due to increased exposure to sunlight of these areas, the precise pathological mechanism which causes this to occur is unclear. Objective: We hypothesized that an increase in collagenase activity, that has been associated with the exposure of dermal fibroblasts to sunlight, will significantly degrade the material properties of skin from HERDA-affected horses when compared to unaffected controls. Methods: Six unaffected and seven HERDA-affected horses, all euthanized for other reasons. Methods: Full-thickness skin samples from similar locations on each horse were collected and cut into uniform strips and their material properties (tensile modulus) determined by mechanical testing before (n = 12 samples/horse) or after (n = 12 samples/horse) incubation in bacterial collagenase at 37°C for 6 h. The change in modulus following treatment was then compared between HERDA-affected and unaffected horses using a Student's t-test. Results: The modulus of skin from HERDA-affected horses decreased significantly more than that from unaffected horses following collagenase treatment (54 ± 7% versus 30 ± 16%, P = 0.004). Conclusions: The significant decrease in the modulus of skin from HERDA-affected horses following collagenase exposure suggests that their altered collagen microarchitecture is more susceptible to enzymatic degradation and may explain the localization of skin lesions in HERDA-affected horses to those areas of the body most exposed to sunlight. These findings appear to support the previously reported benefits of sunlight restriction in HERDA-affected horses.
© 2015 ESVD and ACVD.
Publication Date: 2015-09-16 PubMed ID: 26374391DOI: 10.1111/vde.12256Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates the genetic disorder Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia (HERDA) in horses, which affects collagen and results in fragile skin and ulcerative lesions, predominantly on the dorsum. The study theorizes and provides evidence that collagenase activity typically induced by sunlight exposure degrades the skin of HERDA-affected horses more than unaffected horses, potentially explaining the prevalence of skin lesions in sun-exposed areas.
Objective and Hypothesis
- The objective of the study was to understand why skin lesions in HERDA-affected horses typically occur on the dorsum (back) of the animals. The researchers hypothesized that increased collagenase activity, linked to sunlight exposure, could seriously degrade the quality of skin in HERDA-affected horses compared to unaffected ones.
Methodology
- To test this theory, the researchers gained skin samples from six unaffected and seven HERDA-affected horses, all of whom were euthanized for unrelated reasons.
- They collected full-thickness skin samples from similar locations on each horse, cut them into consistent strips, and determined their material properties (tensile modulus) by testing them mechanically before and after incubating them in bacterial collagenase at a temperature of 37°C for 6 hours.
Results
- The results revealed that the modulus (resistance to stretching) of the skin from HERDA-affected horses reduced more significantly after collagenase treatment than that of the unaffected horses (54 ± 7% vs 30 ± 16%, P = 0.004). The P-value indicates that the results are statistically significant.
Conclusion
- These results led to the conclusion that the altered collagen structure of the skin in HERDA-affected horses makes it more susceptible to enzymatic degradation.
- This degradation might explain why skin lesions in HERDA-affected horses are often localized to those areas of the body most exposed to sunlight.
- The study supports earlier reports indicating the benefits of restricting sunlight exposure for horses affected by the HERDA condition.
Cite This Article
APA
Rashmir-Raven A, Lavagnino M, Sedlak A, Gardner K, Arnoczky S.
(2015).
Increased susceptibility of skin from HERDA (Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia)-affected horses to bacterial collagenase degradation: a potential contributing factor to the clinical signs of HERDA.
Vet Dermatol, 26(6), 476-e111.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vde.12256 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, 784 Wilson Road G-387, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
- Laboratory for Comparative Orthopaedic Research, Michigan State University, 784 Wilson Road G-387, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
- Laboratory for Comparative Orthopaedic Research, Michigan State University, 784 Wilson Road G-387, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
- Laboratory for Comparative Orthopaedic Research, Michigan State University, 784 Wilson Road G-387, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
- Laboratory for Comparative Orthopaedic Research, Michigan State University, 784 Wilson Road G-387, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Collagenases / metabolism
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome / pathology
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome / veterinary
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Skin / cytology
- Skin / metabolism
- Skin / pathology
- Tensile Strength
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