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Equine veterinary journal2021; 54(5); 989-998; doi: 10.1111/evj.13530

Osteoclast density is not increased in bone adjacent to radiolucencies (cysts) in juvenile equine medial femoral condyles.

Abstract: There is a knowledge gap about how equine MFC subchondral radiolucencies (SR) arise and evolve. Osteoclasts are believed to have a role but have not been studied in situ. Objective: To measure and compare osteoclast density and the percentage of chondroclasts in healthy and MFC SR specimens from juvenile Thoroughbreds. Methods: Cadaveric study. Methods: Medial femoral condyles (MFC) from a tissue bank of equine stifles were studied. Inclusion criteria were MFCs (≤8 months old) with a computed tomography SR lesion and histological focal failure of endochondral ossification (L group). Contralateral, lesion-free, MFCs were a control group (CC). Osteochondral slabs were cut through the lesion (L), a healthy site immediately caudal to the lesion, (internal control; IC) and the contralateral, site-matched controls (CC). Histological sections were immunostained with Cathepsin K for osteoclast counting. Osteoclasts in contact with the growth cartilage (chondroclasts) were also counted. The sections were segmented into regions of interest (ROI) at different depths in the subchondral bone: ROI (0-1 mm), ROI (1-3 mm) and ROI (3-6 mm). Osteoclasts were counted and the bone area was measured in each ROI to calculate their density. Chondroclasts were counted in ROI . Results: Sections were studied from L and IC (n = 6) and CC sites (n = 5). Osteoclast density was significantly higher in ROI when compared with ROI in all groups. Although higher osteoclast density was measured in ROI in the L group, no significant differences were detected when compared with control ROIs. The proportion of chondroclasts in ROI was lower in the L sections when compared with controls but no significant differences were detected. Conclusions: Limited sample size. Conclusions: Osteoclasts are important actors in MFC subchondral bone development, digesting both growth cartilage (chondroclasts) and bone, but the pathophysiology of early MFC SRs cannot be explained solely by an increased osteoclast presence in the subchondral bone.
© 2021 EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2021-11-18 PubMed ID: 34716940DOI: 10.1111/evj.13530Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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.

The research paper is about a study which found that osteoclast density was not significantly higher in the bone right next to radiolucencies or cysts found in the medial femoral condyles (MFC) of young horse bones.

Objective

The main aim of this research was to measure and compare the density of osteoclasts and the percentage of chondroclasts in healthy and juvenile horse bones that had MFC subchondral radiolucencies (SRs). They did this by analyzing MFC specimens obtained from a tissue bank of equine stifles. The researchers wanted to fill the knowledge gap around why these SRs come about and how they evolve.

Methods

  • The researchers obtained medial femoral condyles from a tissue bank of equine stifles, specifically those that were older than or equal to 8 months and showed a computed tomography SR lesion, and labeled these as the L group. The contralateral, or opposite side, MFCs that showed no lesion were used as the control group.
  • Sections were then cut through the lesion, a healthy site right next to it, and a similar site on the control. These were then immunostained with Cathepsin K for osteoclast counting.
  • Osteclasts in contact with the growth cartilage, called chondroclasts, were also counted.
  • The sections were further divided up into areas of interest (ROIs) at different depths.
  • The density was calculated by counting the osteoclasts in each ROI and measuring the area of the bone.
  • The researchers also counted the amount of chondroclasts in each ROI

Results

  • The results showed that the density of the osteoclasts was significantly higher in the uppermost layers of the bone when compared to the lower layers, but there was no significant difference in the osteoclast density of the L group compared to the control.
  • The number of chondroclasts was also found to be slightly lower in the L samples compared to the control, but this difference was not statistically relevant.

Conclusion

  • From these findings, the researchers concluded that although osteoclasts were important factors in the development of the subchondral bone found in MFCs, the cause of SRs couldn’t just be explained by an increased density of osteoclasts in the bone near the cysts.
  • They referenced the limitations of the study as being due to a small sample size.

Cite This Article

APA
Fortin-Trahan R, Lemirre T, Santschi EM, Janes JG, Richard H, Fogarty U, Beauchamp G, Girard CA, Laverty S. (2021). Osteoclast density is not increased in bone adjacent to radiolucencies (cysts) in juvenile equine medial femoral condyles. Equine Vet J, 54(5), 989-998. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13530

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 54
Issue: 5
Pages: 989-998

Researcher Affiliations

Fortin-Trahan, Rosalie
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.
Lemirre, Thibaut
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.
Santschi, Elizabeth M
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA.
Janes, Jennifer G
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Richard, Hélène
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.
Fogarty, Ursula
  • Irish Equine Centre, Naas, Ireland.
Beauchamp, Guy
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.
Girard, Christiane A
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.
Laverty, Sheila
  • Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Cartilage
  • Cartilage, Articular / pathology
  • Cysts / veterinary
  • Epiphyses
  • Femur
  • Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Osteoclasts / pathology

Grant Funding

  • CF00142067 / Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
  • Fonds en santu00e9 u00e9quine de la Facultu00e9 de mu00e9decine vu00e9tu00e9rinaire de l'Universitu00e9 de Montru00e9al and Zoetis
  • DF1_130184 / Quebec Cell, Tissue and Gene Therapy Network -Thu00e9Cell (a thematic network supported by the Fonds de recherche du Quu00e9bec-Santu00e9

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Tippen SP, Metzger CE, Sacks SA, Allen MR, Mitchell CF, McNulty MA. Clinically relevant doses of tiludronate do not affect bone remodelling in pasture-exercised horses. Equine Vet J 2025 Mar;57(2):513-521.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.14119pubmed: 38924597google scholar: lookup
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