Morphometric Properties of the Thoracic Aorta of Warmblood and Friesian Horses with and without Aortic Rupture.
Abstract: Rupture of the aorta is much more common in Friesians compared with other breeds of horse. Rupture always occurs adjacent to the scar of the ligamentum arteriosum. Previous histological examination of ruptured aortic walls suggested the presence of an underlying connective tissue disorder. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare the structural characteristics of the tunica media of the mid-thoracic aorta, distant to the lesion, in warmblood and Friesian horses with and without thoracic aortic rupture. In unaffected Friesian horses, the thickness of the tunica media, as well as the percentage area comprised of collagen type I, were significantly higher compared with the warmblood horses, supporting the hypothesis of a primary collagen disorder in the Friesian horse breed. However, in the tunica media of the affected Friesian horses there was no significant wall thickening. Moreover, the percentage area comprised of elastin was significantly lower, while the percentage area comprised of smooth muscle was higher, compared with unaffected Friesian and warmblood horses. These lesions are suggestive of an additional mild elastin deficiency with compensatory smooth muscle cell hypertrophy in affected Friesians.
Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Publication Date: 2016-03-14 PubMed ID: 26987511DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2016.02.001Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research examines the structural differences in the aortic walls of Warmblood and Friesian horses, with the aim of understanding why aortic rupture is more common in the latter. The study suggests a primary collagen disorder in Friesian horses, whereas those with ruptured aortas displayed a potential deficiency in elastin and increased smooth muscle cells.
Objective of Study
- The purpose of this research was to investigate the structural variations in the aortic walls (specifically tunica media) of Warmblood and Friesian horses in order to determine the reason behind the higher incidence of aortic rupture among Friesians.
Findings in Unaffected Horses
- Among unaffected Friesian horses, the study showed that both the tunica media thickness and the area percentage of collagen type I were significantly higher compared to Warmbloods.
- This discovery strengthens the hypothesis that a principal connective tissue or collagen disorder may exist in Friesian horses.
Discoveries in Friesian Horses with Aortic Rupture
- Interestingly, in the Friesian horses affected by aortic rupture, the study did not observe any significant thickening of the aortic walls (tunica media).
- However, alterations in the density of the different components of the tunica media were observed. The percentage area of elastin showed a significant decrease whereas the percentage area of smooth muscle cells was found to be higher.
Implications
- The observed imbalance between elastin and smooth muscle in the tunica media of affected Friesian horses hints at a possible mild elastin deficiency.
- This deficiency is proposed to trigger a compensatory hypertrophy or enlargement of the smooth muscle cells.
- The changes in these structural elements of the aortic wall could potentially increase susceptibility to aortic rupture in Friesian horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Saey V, Ploeg M, Delesalle C, van Loon G, Gröne A, Ducatelle R, Duchateau L, Chiers K.
(2016).
Morphometric Properties of the Thoracic Aorta of Warmblood and Friesian Horses with and without Aortic Rupture.
J Comp Pathol, 154(2-3), 225-230.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpa.2016.02.001 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: veronique.saey@ugent.be.
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
- Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Belgium.
- Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Aorta, Thoracic / pathology
- Aortic Rupture / pathology
- Aortic Rupture / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
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