Insulin resistance in equids: possible role in laminitis.
Abstract: Insulin is a major regulatory hormone in glucose and fat metabolism, vascular function, inflammation, tissue remodeling, and the somatotropic axis of growth. Insulin resistance alters insulin signaling by decreasing insulin action in certain resistant pathways while increasing insulin signaling in other unaffected pathways via compensatory hyperinsulinemia. In humans, altered insulin signaling is implicated in reduced glucose availability to insulin-sensitive cells, vasoconstriction and endothelial damage, and inflammatory response. Although no direct evidence exists for insulin's role in these mechanisms in the laminitic horse, changes in the glucose availability, vasculature, and inflammation were all demonstrated in hoof separation. Insulin resistance was first implicated in the pathogenesis of laminitis in the 1980s using tolerance tests. Our present findings provide the first specific evidence of insulin resistance as a major predisposing condition for laminitis. Specific quantitative characterization of insulin resistance is essential toward identifying the following: 1) ponies in need of special management to avoid laminitis, and 2) potential management strategies to avoid laminitis by increasing insulin sensitivity, including reducing obesity, increasing exercise, and moderating dietary carbohydrates, particularly starch.
Publication Date: 2006-06-15 PubMed ID: 16772509DOI: 10.1093/jn/136.7.2094SGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article discusses the role of insulin resistance in the development of laminitis, a common and serious disease affecting horses’ hooves, asserting that it is a major predisposing condition for the disease.
Understanding Insulin Resistance
- Insulin is a crucial hormone that plays a significant role in several body functions including glucose and fat metabolism, vascular function, inflammation, and tissue remodeling.
- Insulin resistance is a condition wherein the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin, leading to abnormal insulin signaling. This results in decreased action of insulin in some pathways (resistant pathways), and increased signaling in others, due to compensatory hyperinsulinemia – overproduction of insulin.
Insulin Resistance and its Effects
- In human beings, altered insulin signaling has been seen to reduce glucose availability to insulin-sensitive cells, cause vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels) and endothelial damage, and trigger inflammation.
- Even though direct evidence of insulin’s role in these mechanisms in laminitic horses is lacking, hoof separation demonstrated changes in glucose availability, vasculature, and inflammation – which are all interrelated.
Insulin Resistance and Laminitis
- Laminitis is a severe disease often seen in horses, characterized by the inflammation of the sensitive layers of tissue (laminae) inside the horse’s hoof.
- Insulin resistance was first suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis (development) of laminitis back in the 1980s through the use of tolerance tests.
- The present research provides specific evidence for the first time, that insulin resistance is indeed a significant predisposing condition for laminitis.
Management strategies for Laminitis
- Identifying horses that show signs of insulin resistance is crucial as these horses are more likely to develop laminitis, hence necessitating special management strategies.
- The study suggests that it is essential to increase insulin sensitivity to avoid laminitis. This can be achieved by reducing obesity (excessive fat), increasing physical activity (exercise), and moderating dietary carbohydrates, especially starch.
Cite This Article
APA
Treiber KH, Kronfeld DS, Geor RJ.
(2006).
Insulin resistance in equids: possible role in laminitis.
J Nutr, 136(7 Suppl), 2094S-2098S.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/136.7.2094S Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department Animal and Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0303, USA. ktreiber@vt.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses
- Inflammation / etiology
- Inflammation / veterinary
- Insulin Resistance
- Lameness, Animal / etiology
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Go YY, Hazard NW, Balasuriya UBR, Chapman AM, Fitton NS, Kenéz Á, Andrews FM. Clinical evaluation of the Immulite® 1000 chemiluminescent immunoassay for measurement of equine serum insulin. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1018230.
- Hodge E, Kowalski A, Torcivia C, Lindborg S, Stefanovski D, Hart K, Frank N, van Eps A. Effect of thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulation testing on the oral sugar test in horses when performed as a combined protocol. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Sep;33(5):2272-2279.
- Watts MR, Hegedus OC, Eades SC, Belknap JK, Burns TA. Association of sustained supraphysiologic hyperinsulinemia and inflammatory signaling within the digital lamellae in light-breed horses. J Vet Intern Med 2019 May;33(3):1483-1492.
- Lindåse S, Nostell K, Bröjer J. A modified oral sugar test for evaluation of insulin and glucose dynamics in horses. Acta Vet Scand 2016 Oct 20;58(Suppl 1):64.
- Dunbar LK, Mielnicki KA, Dembek KA, Toribio RE, Burns TA. Evaluation of Four Diagnostic Tests for Insulin Dysregulation in Adult Light-Breed Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2016 May;30(3):885-91.
- Rogers CW, Bolwell CF, Gee EK. Proactive Management of the Equine Athlete. Animals (Basel) 2012 Dec 19;2(4):640-55.
- Moore-Colyer MJ, Lumbis K, Longland A, Harris P. The effect of five different wetting treatments on the nutrient content and microbial concentration in hay for horses. PLoS One 2014;9(11):e114079.
- Shepherd ML, Ponder MA, Burk AO, Milton SC, Swecker WS Jr. Fibre digestibility, abundance of faecal bacteria and plasma acetate concentrations in overweight adult mares. J Nutr Sci 2014;3:e10.
- Loos C, Castelein A, Vanzant E, Adam E, McLeod KR. Nutraceutical Supplement Mitigates Insulin Resistance in Horses with a History of Insulin Dysregulation During a Challenge with a High-Starch Diet. Animals (Basel) 2024 Nov 25;14(23).
- Menzies-Gow NJ, Knowles EJ. Sodium-glucose transport protein 2 inhibitor use in the management of insulin dysregulation in ponies and horses. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2025 Jan;48 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):31-40.
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