The study explores the impact of obesity on the levels of acute-phase proteins in horses. The results revealed significant differences in three proteins (ceruloplasmin, α-antitrypsin, and haptoglobin) between healthy and obese horses.

Overview and Objective

• The research focused on identifying the effects of obesity on the concentration of certain proteins in horses.
• The main objective was to understand how obesity influences the levels of acute-phase proteins – proteins that change significantly in response to inflammation – in horses.
• This study is essential because it may help identify potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis of obesity-related health conditions in horses.

Methodology

• Serum samples were obtained from two groups of horses: nine healthy horses and nine obese horses.
• The proteins in the samples were separated using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a method used for the determination of protein sizes and their abundance.
• The protein concentrations were determined using computerized densitometry, which is a technique used for measuring the intensity of the amount of protein present.
• Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was then used to identify the separated proteins.
• These results were cross-referenced with known Equidae and Metazoa taxon protein information stored in the UNIPROT database, using the MASCOT software.

Key Findings

• Three proteins – ceruloplasmin (Cp), α-antitrypsin (α-antitryp), and haptoglobin (Hp) – showed significant variations between the healthy and obese horses.
• The variations in Cp and Hp proteins agree with the existing literature about obesity in other species, but α-antitrypsin protein showed a positive correlation with leptin, a hormone that controls appetite and energy expenditure, paving the way for further investigations.

Implications of the Study

• This research addresses a gap in understanding the connection between obesity and inflammatory biomarkers in horses, particularly in Brazil.
• The study’s initial findings regarding the association between obesity and changes in these proteins provide a stepping stone towards further investigations into obesity-related health risks in horses.