Intratracheal therapy with autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells reduces airway inflammation in horses with recurrent airway obstruction.

The research article investigates how the use of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BMMCs) can help reduce inflammation in horses suffering from recurrent airway obstruction (RAO).

Methods and Treatment Groups

• The study involved eight horses diagnosed with RAO. These horses were divided into two groups – the cell therapy group (Gcel) and the dexamethasone group (Gdex).
• The Gcel group received a single intratracheal dose of BMMCs, while the Gdex group was treated with oral dexamethasone for 21 consecutive days.

Clinical Revaluation and Evaluation of Inflammatory Markers

• Post-treatment, the horses’ condition was clinically re-evaluated on days 7 and 21. This included a cytological analysis of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the detection of certain inflammatory markers – Interleukins (IL) -10, -4, and -17, and Interferon (IFN) γ and α.

Results

• Key findings from the research showed that respiratory effort and clinical score decreased for both groups on days 7 and 21 – an indication of improvement.
• The study also found that the percentage of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell commonly associated with inflammation) decreased, while the number of macrophages (another type of white blood cells that engulf and digest cellular debris and pathogens) increased on days 7 and 21 in both groups.
• IL-10 levels increased in the Gcel group on day 21 compared to days 0 and 7, whereas this was not observed in the Gdex group. The quantification of other inflammatory markers such as IL-4, IL-17, IFN-γ, and IFN-α remained unchanged between evaluations in both groups.

Conclusion

• The preliminary findings from the study suggest that therapy using BMMCs might help to alleviate the inflammatory response associated with RAO in horses. However, more extensive research will be required to confirm these findings and understand the mechanism of action.