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BMC veterinary research2020; 16(1); 181; doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-02391-7

Is clinical effect of autologous conditioned serum in spontaneously occurring equine articular lameness related to ACS cytokine profile?

Abstract: Biologic' therapies, such as autologous conditioned serum (ACS), are gaining popularity in treating orthopaedic conditions in equine veterinary medicine. Evidence is scarce regarding ACS constituents, and large inter-individual differences in cytokine and growth factor content have been demonstrated. The objective of the current study was to investigate the potential association between cytokine and growth factor content of ACS and clinical effect in harness racehorses with spontaneously occurring low-grade articular lameness. Horses received 3 intra-articular injections of ACS administered at approximately 2-week intervals. Lameness evaluation consisting of a trot-up with subsequent flexions tests was performed at inclusion and approximately 2 weeks after the last treatment (re-evaluation); horses were classified as responders when there was no detectable lameness on trot-up and a minimum of 50% reduction in flexion test scores at re-evaluation. Association between clinical outcome (responders vs. non-responders) and age, lameness grades at inclusion (both initial trot-up and after flexion tests), treatment interval, follow-up time and the ACS content of IL-1Ra, IGF-1 and TGF-β was determined by regression modelling. Results: Outcome analysis was available for 19 of 20 included horses; 11 responded to treatment whereas 8 did not. There was considerable inter-individual variability in cytokine/growth factor content of ACS, and in the majority of the horses, the level of IL-10, IL-1β and TNF-α was below the detection limit. In the final multivariate logistic regression model, ACS content of IGF-1 and IL-1Ra was significantly associated with clinical response (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). No association with clinical response was found for the other tested variables. Conclusions: The therapeutic benefit of ACS may be related to higher levels of IL-1Ra and IGF-1. Our study corroborates previous findings of considerable inter-individual variability of cytokine- and growth factor content in ACS.
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Publication Date: 2020-06-08 PubMed ID: 32513154PubMed Central: PMC7278142DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02391-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigated the association between the cytokine and growth factor content in autologous conditioned serum (ACS) and the treatment’s effectiveness in horses experiencing low-grade articular lameness. The study found that the therapeutic benefits of ACS may be associated with higher levels of Interleukin-1 Receptor antagonist(IL-1Ra) and Insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1), revealing significant inter-individual variability of cytokine and growth factor content in ACS.

Introduction to ACS and Research Objectives

  • Autologous conditioned serum (ACS), a biological therapy, is increasingly being used to treat orthopedic conditions in equine veterinary medicine.
  • However, understanding about the factors in ACS remain limited with research showing significant variability in cytokine and growth factor content across individuals.
  • This study aimed to investigate the association between cytokine and growth factor content in ACS and its clinical effectiveness when used to treat lameness in horses.

Methodology and Results

  • Racehorses with articular lameness were treated with ACS injections at frequent intervals with lameness evaluation being performed at the beginning and roughly 2 weeks after the conclusion of the treatment. Horses showing no detectable lameness and a minimum of 50% reduction in flexion test scores were termed as ‘responders’.
  • The researchers used regression modeling to determine any association between the clinical outcome (responders vs non-responders) and various factors such as the horse’s age, initial lameness grades, treatment interval, follow-up time, and amount of IL-1Ra, IGF-1, and TGF-β in the ACS.
  • A total of 19 horses completed the treatment, with 11 being responders and 8 being non-responders.
  • The study noted a significant variability in the amount of cytokine and growth factors in ACS across all horses, with most horses having IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels below the detection limit.
  • The final multivariate logistic regression model showed a significant association (p=0.01 and p=0.03, respectively) between ACS content of IL-1Ra and IGF-1 and the treatment’s effectiveness. However, no association was found for other tested variables.

Conclusion

  • The effectiveness of ACS therapy may be related to higher levels of IL-1Ra and IGF-1. This result underlines the present knowledge of significant variability in the cytokine and growth factor content among individual horses.
  • However, much about the constituents of ACS and how they interact to treat orthopedic conditions remains unknown, requiring further research.

Cite This Article

APA
Marques-Smith P, Kallerud AS, Johansen GM, Boysen P, Jacobsen AM, Reitan KM, Henriksen MM, Löfgren M, Fjordbakk CT. (2020). Is clinical effect of autologous conditioned serum in spontaneously occurring equine articular lameness related to ACS cytokine profile? BMC Vet Res, 16(1), 181. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-02391-7

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 16
Issue: 1
Pages: 181

Researcher Affiliations

Marques-Smith, Patrick
  • Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0102, Oslo, Norway. patrick.pm.smith@nmbu.no.
Kallerud, Anne S
  • Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0102, Oslo, Norway.
Johansen, Grethe M
  • Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0102, Oslo, Norway.
Boysen, Preben
  • Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0102, Oslo, Norway.
Jacobsen, Anna M
  • Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0102, Oslo, Norway.
Reitan, Karoline M
  • Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0102, Oslo, Norway.
Henriksen, Mia M
  • Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0102, Oslo, Norway.
Löfgren, Maria
  • Department of Biomedical Science and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden.
Fjordbakk, Cathrine T
  • Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 0102, Oslo, Norway.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Therapy / veterinary
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / therapy
  • Horses
  • Injections, Intra-Articular / veterinary
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / analysis
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / blood
  • Lameness, Animal / therapy
  • Male
  • Prospective Studies
  • Serum / chemistry
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / blood
  • Treatment Outcome

Grant Funding

  • H1247030 / Swedish/ Norwegian Foundation for Equine Research
  • 589610 / Norges Forskningsråd

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 17 times.
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