Measurement of skin desmosine as an indicator of altered cutaneous elastin in draft horses with chronic progressive lymphedema.
Abstract: Chronic progressive lymphedema in Clydesdale and Shire draft horses causes severe disability of the limbs which leads to premature death of these horses. Since appropriate function of lymph vessels is dependent on the presence of viable elastin fibers, the goal of this study was to document differences in skin elastin fibers in affected horse breeds, compared to a nonaffected draft horse breed. Results: Biochemical analysis of cutaneous desmosine, a cross-linking amino acid found only in elastin, was used to measure elastin in the skin from 110 draft horses. This included 7 normal, 38 mildly affected, 30 moderately, and 15 severely affected horses, and 20 horses of a nonaffected draft breed. Desmosine concentrations in neck, considered a nonaffected skin region, and left forelimb, an affected skin region, were compared between the groups. A significantly lower desmosine concentration was found in the skin of the neck and limb of clinically normal animals of affected draft breeds compared to a nonaffected draft horse breed. During the progression of the disease in the affected breeds, cutaneous desmosine concentrations most prominently increased in the skin of the distal limbs. Conclusions: Chronic progressive lymphedema in draft horses was associated with an initially systemic lower cutaneous elastin level and a deposition of elastin during the progression of the disease. A failure of elastic fibers to appropriately support the skin and its lymphatics is proposed as a possible contributing factor for chronic progressive lymphedema in Shires and Clydesdales.
Publication Date: 2006-07-01 PubMed ID: 16808668DOI: 10.1089/lrb.2006.4.67Google 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 measurement of skin desmosine (cross-linking amino acid present in elastin – a vital component of skin and connective tissues), to gauge alterations in skin elastin in draft horses with Chronic Progressive Lymphedema (CPL), a disease that causes severe limb disability leading to premature death amongst these horses.
Research Objective
- The primary goal of this research was to document changes in skin elastin fibers in draft horses affected by Chronic Progressive Lymphedema (CPL), in comparison with a non-affected breed. This was done with an assumption that the functional efficiency of lymph vessels relies heavily on the presence of viable elastin fibers.
Research Methodology
- A biochemical analysis method was employed to measure elastin by assessing the relative amounts of the compound desmosine in the skin of 110 draft horses. These horses encompassed various categories of CPL severity – 7 normal, 38 with mild CPL, 30 with moderate CPL, and 15 severely affected horses. Additionally, twenty horses from a non-affected breed were also studied for comparison.
- Desmosine concentrations were compared between the neck skin, considered as a non-affected region, and the skin of the left forelimb, identified as an affected region, across these categories of horses.
Key Findings
- The research discovered a notably lower concentration of desmosine in the neck and limb skin of Clinically Normal Animals (CNA) from affected draft breeds compared to a non-affected breed.
- Cutaneous desmosine concentration significantly increased in the distal limb skin as the disease progressed in CPL affected breeds.
Conclusion
- Chronic Progressive Lymphedema (CPL) in draft horses is linked with an initial system-wide lower cutaneous elastin level, followed by a deposition of elastin as the disease advances.
- The study proposes a potential contributing factor for CPL in draft horse breeds, such as Shires and Clydesdales, as a failure of elastic fibers to sufficiently bolster the skin and its lymphatics.
Cite This Article
APA
De Cock HE, Affolter VK, Farver TB, Van Brantegem L, Scheuch B, Ferraro GL.
(2006).
Measurement of skin desmosine as an indicator of altered cutaneous elastin in draft horses with chronic progressive lymphedema.
Lymphat Res Biol, 4(2), 67-72.
https://doi.org/10.1089/lrb.2006.4.67 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of California, Davis, 95616, USA. hdecock@ucdavis.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Desmosine / metabolism
- Elastin / metabolism
- Horse Diseases / metabolism
- Horses
- Lymphedema / metabolism
- Lymphedema / veterinary
- Skin / metabolism
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