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Equine veterinary journal2020; 53(1); 85-93; doi: 10.1111/evj.13262

Plasma metabolomic profiling of healthy pregnant mares and mares with experimentally induced placentitis.

Abstract: Metabolomics may represent an avenue for diagnosis of equine ascending placentitis. Objective: To characterise the plasma metabolomic profile in healthy mares and mares with induced ascending placentitis, with the goal of identifying metabolites with potential clinical value for early diagnosis of placentitis. Methods: Controlled in vivo experiment. Methods: Placentitis was induced in 10 late-term pregnant pony mares via Streptococcal equi subsp. zooepidemicus inoculation in five mares between days 285 and 290 of gestation, while five mares served as healthy controls. Repeated ultrasound examinations and jugular venipuncture were performed to obtain combined thickness of the uterus and placenta (CTUP) and plasma for NMR spectroscopy. Mares with increased CTUP were diagnosed with placentitis and treated in accordance with published therapeutic recommendations. NMR metabolomic analysis was performed to identify and quantify plasma metabolites at each time point. Concentrations were compared using ANOVA with repeated-measures and PLS-DA analysis. Results: Four hours post-inoculation, a significant increase was detected in the metabolites alanine, phenylalanine, histidine, pyruvate, citrate, glucose, creatine, glycolate, lactate and 3-hydroxyisobutyrate that returned to baseline by 12 hours. On day 4, a significant reduction in the metabolites alanine, phenylalanine, histidine, tyrosine, pyruvate, citrate, glycolate, lactate and dimethylsulfone was seen in infected mares compared with controls. Conclusions: There were small numbers of mares within groups. In addition, this work compares healthy animals with animals treated with multimodal therapeutics following diagnosis of placentitis without an untreated cohort. Conclusions: Two phases of metabolite changes were noted after experimental infection: An immediate rise in metabolite concentration involved in energy, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen metabolism within 4 hours after inoculation that was followed by a decrease in metabolite concentrations involved in energy and nitrogen metabolism at 4 days, coinciding with ultrasonographic diagnosis of placentitis.
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Publication Date: 2020-04-15 PubMed ID: 32187705DOI: 10.1111/evj.13262Google 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.

The research article discusses the use of metabolomics, an advanced scientific technique, to identify potential early diagnostic markers for equine ascending placentitis – a serious disease that affects pregnant horses. The study involved the comparison of plasma metabolomic profile in healthy mares and mares with induced placentitis.

Objective and Methods

  • The main objective of the study was to characterize the plasma metabolomic profile in mares that are healthy and those with induced ascending placentitis, with the aim of identifying potential metabolites that can be clinically valuable for early diagnosis of placentitis.
  • To perform the study, placentitis was artificially induced in 10 late-term pregnant pony mares via an inoculation of Streptococcal equi subsp. zooepidemicus. At the same time, five mares served as healthy controls.
  • A series of ultrasound examinations were performed and blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of the ponies to obtain a combined thickness of the uterus and placenta (CTUP) and plasma for NMR spectrometry.

Results

  • Significant changes in the concentration of several metabolites were observed post inoculation. These included alanine, phenylalanine, histidine, pyruvate, citrate, glucose, creatine, glycolate, lactate and 3-hydroxyisobutyrate.
  • Further, it was noticed that on the fourth day, there was a significant reduction in the metabolites alanine, phenylalanine, histidine, tyrosine, pyruvate, citrate, glycolate, lactate and dimethylsulfone in infected mares when compared with controls.

Conclusions

  • The researchers noted some limitations in their study, namely that the sample size was small, and that the comparison was made between healthy animals and animals that were treated with therapeutics following the diagnosis of placentitis, not between healthy and untreated sick animals.
  • The conclusion drawn from the study indicates that there were two phases of metabolite changes after experimental infection. The initial phase involved an immediate rise in metabolite concentration related to energy, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen metabolism within 4 hours post inoculation. This was then followed by a decrease in metabolite concentrations linked to energy and nitrogen metabolism at 4 days coinciding with an ultrasonographic diagnosis of placentitis.
  • This findings suggest that these changes in metabolite concentrations could be used as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of placentitis.

Cite This Article

APA
Beachler TM, Gracz HS, Morgan DR, Bembenek Bailey SA, Borst L, Ellis KE, Von Dollen KA, Lyle SK, Nebel A, Andrews NC, Koipalli J, Gadsby JE, Bailey CS. (2020). Plasma metabolomic profiling of healthy pregnant mares and mares with experimentally induced placentitis. Equine Vet J, 53(1), 85-93. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13262

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 53
Issue: 1
Pages: 85-93

Researcher Affiliations

Beachler, Theresa M
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Gracz, Hanna S
  • Department of Biochemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Morgan, David R
  • Department of Biochemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Bembenek Bailey, Stasia A
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Borst, Luke
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Ellis, Katey E
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Von Dollen, Karen A
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Lyle, Sara K
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Nebel, Amber
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Andrews, Natalie C
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Koipalli, Joanna
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Gadsby, John E
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Bailey, Christopher S
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases
  • Horses
  • Metabolomics
  • Placenta Diseases / veterinary
  • Plasma
  • Pregnancy
  • Streptococcus equi

Grant Funding

  • Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Main SC, Brown LP, Melvin KR, Campagna SR, Voy BH, Castro HF, Strickland LG, Hines MT, Jacobs RD, Gordon ME, Ivey JLZ. Metabolomic Profiles in Starved Light Breed Horses during the Refeeding Process. Animals (Basel) 2022 Sep 21;12(19).
    doi: 10.3390/ani12192527pubmed: 36230267google scholar: lookup
  2. Laus F, Bazzano M, Spaterna A, Laghi L, Marchegiani A. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Metabolomics: Current Applications in Equine Health Assessment. Metabolites 2024 May 7;14(5).
    doi: 10.3390/metabo14050269pubmed: 38786746google scholar: lookup
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