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Veterinary surgery : VS2024; 53(8); 1377-1389; doi: 10.1111/vsu.14170

Preliminary in vivo investigation of the mesenchymal stromal cell secretome as a novel treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in equine skin wounds.

Abstract: We aimed to study the antimicrobial and pro-healing potential of equine mesenchymal stromal cell secreted products (i.e. secretome), collected as conditioned media (mesenchymal stromal cell-conditioned media, MSC CM), in a novel in vivo model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-inoculated equine thorax wounds. Methods: Prospective in vivo study. Methods: Two Thoroughbred geldings. Methods: Six full-thickness cutaneous wounds were created bilaterally on the dorsal thorax of two horses (n = 12 wounds/horse). Wounds on the left thoraces were inoculated with MRSA on day 0. All wounds were then treated with either mupirocin ointment, MSC CM, or vehicle control (n = 4 wounds per group) once daily for 3 days. Photographs were taken to quantify wound scores and sizes, as well as samples to determine bacterial colony forming units (CFUs), at days 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28. The wound edge was biopsied on days 0, 7, and 28, and scored histologically. Results: Inoculated wounds had more bacterial CFUs at day 1 (p < .0001) and were larger in size at day 28 (p = .0009) than noninoculated wounds. Mupirocin-treated wounds were smaller than MSC CM and vehicle control-treated wounds at day 28 (p = .003). Mesenchymal stromal cell-conditioned media did not affect CFU numbers in inoculated and noninoculated wounds. Moreover, MSC CM did not affect the parameters of wound size or gross or microscopic wound scores over time. Conclusions: Mesenchymal stromal cell-conditioned media did not exhibit antimicrobial or pro-healing properties in the current study; however, the in vivo model of inoculated equine thorax wounds requires further optimization. Conclusions: This pilot study contributes to a growing understanding of the equine MSC secretome as an antimicrobial and pro-healing therapeutic for equine wounds.
© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
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Publication Date: 2024-10-05 PubMed ID: 39367671DOI: 10.1111/vsu.14170Google 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 investigates the potential benefits of using molecules (secretome) produced by equine (horse) mesenchymal stromal cells in treating skin wounds on horses infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, the study didn’t find any significant beneficial antimicrobial or wound-healing effect from the use of the secretome.

Methodology

  • The researchers created six full-thickness skin wounds on each side of two Thoroughbred geldings (male horses).
  • Left side wounds were inoculated with MRSA, a bacterium which is resistant to many antibiotics.
  • All wounds, whether infected or not, were treated daily for three days either with mupirocin (an antibiotic) ointment, mesenchymal stromal cell-conditioned media (MSC CM, which carries the secreted products or secretomes), or a control treatment.
  • Wounds’ progress was monitored by photographing and measuring the wound sizes to determine wound scores. Additionally, bacterial colony forming units (CFUs) were counted on specific days (0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28).
  • Biopsies were taken from the wound edges on days 0, 7, and 28, for histological scoring (examining under a microscope).

Findings

  • At the first day of treatment, the MRSA-inoculated wounds had more bacterial CFUs than the non-inoculated ones.
  • By the 28th day, inoculated wounds were larger in size than non-inoculated wounds.
  • Wounds treated with mupirocin were smaller than those treated with MSC CM or the control treatment at day 28.
  • MSC CM did not influence CFU numbers either in inoculated or non-inoculated wounds.
  • No significant effects on wound size or gross or microscopic wound scores were found from MSC CM over time.

Conclusions

  • The use of MSC CM didn’t show any antimicrobial or pro-healing properties in this study.
  • The researchers suggested that their in vivo model (using live horses) of inoculated thorax wounds might need optimization.
  • The study expands understanding of the potential role of equine MSC secretome in wound healing and antibacterial therapies, albeit with non-significant findings in this study.

Cite This Article

APA
Fahey MJ, Harman RM, Thomas MA, Pugliese BR, Peters-Kennedy J, Delco ML, Van de Walle GR. (2024). Preliminary in vivo investigation of the mesenchymal stromal cell secretome as a novel treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in equine skin wounds. Vet Surg, 53(8), 1377-1389. https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.14170

Publication

Veterinary surgery : VS
ISSN: 1532-950X
NlmUniqueID: 8113214
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 53
Issue: 8
Pages: 1377-1389

Researcher Affiliations

Fahey, Megan J
  • Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Harman, Rebecca M
  • Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Thomas, Matthew A
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, USA.
Pugliese, Brenna R
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, USA.
Peters-Kennedy, Jeanine
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, New York, USA.
Delco, Michelle L
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, USA.
Van de Walle, Gerlinde R
  • Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells
  • Staphylococcal Infections / veterinary
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Horse Diseases / therapy
  • Horse Diseases / microbiology
  • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
  • Wound Healing / drug effects
  • Secretome
  • Mupirocin / pharmacology
  • Mupirocin / therapeutic use
  • Prospective Studies
  • Culture Media, Conditioned / pharmacology
  • Skin / microbiology
  • Skin / injuries

Grant Funding

  • 2022-67015-36351 / National Institute of Food and Agriculture

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Yan W, Li X, Xu S, Pan H, Wang B, Zeng Z, Shi Y. Progress in Research on Macrophage Polarization Mechanisms and Targeted Therapies in Staphylococcus aureus Infections. Infect Drug Resist 2025;18:6655-6671.
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  2. Van de Walle GR, Harman RM. Contributions of large and agricultural animal models to immunology. J Immunol 2025 Oct 1;214(10):2494-2503.
    doi: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf119pubmed: 41169229google scholar: lookup
  3. Deng Q, Huang J, Tsang LL, Guo J, Wang CC, Zhang X, Jiang X. Combination Therapy with Human Chorionic Villi MSCs and Secretory Factors Enhances Cutaneous Wound Healing in a Rat Model. Int J Mol Sci 2025 Jul 17;26(14).
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