Proline-glutamic acid-proline-lysine repetition peptide as an antigen for the serological diagnosis of strangles.
Abstract: The reactivity of the proline-glutamic acid-proline-lysine (PEPK) repetition peptide antigen in 3176 serum samples was investigated to evaluate its utility as an antigen for the serological diagnosis of strangles. The reactivity of the sera of horses infected with Streptococcus equi subspecies equi was high when the peptide had several PEPK repetitions. However, as the number of PEPK repetitions increased, the reactivity of the antigen with the sera of horses infected with Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus also increased. In horses infected experimentally with S equi, the reactivity of the PEPK antigen with five repetitions increased one week after inoculation and continued to increase during the following four weeks. The optical density (OD) values of test sera from horses infected experimentally with S equi and sera from horses that had recovered from strangles were high. The od values of sera from horses that had recovered from an experimental infection with S zooepidemicus and of sera from healthy horses were comparatively low.
Publication Date: 2008-04-15 PubMed ID: 18408194DOI: 10.1136/vr.162.15.471Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Comparative Study
- 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.
This research endeavours to find a better way for diagnosing strangles in horses by using the proline-glutamic acid-proline-lysine (PEPK) repetition peptide as an antigen. The study uses 3176 horse serum samples to assess the viability of this method.
Research Methodology
- In the study, the reactivity of the PEPK repetition peptide was analyzed across large number of serum samples.
- The chosen peptide antigen acted as a diagnostic marker for strangles, an infectious disease in horses caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi.
- The reactivity of the antigen was observed as it interacted with the sera of horses that were infected either with S. equi subspecies equi or S. equi subspecies zooepidemicus.
- The researchers also investigated the reactivity of PEPK antigen for horses that were infected experimentally, tracking the reactivity as it increased following inoculation.
Findings
- The researchers observed that the reactivity of the sera was higher for horses infected with S. equi subspecies equi when the peptide contained more PEPK repetitions.
- With an increase in the number of PEPK repetitions, the antigen’s reactivity also increased with the sera of horses infected with the subspecies zooepidemicus.
- In the cases where horses were infected experimentally, the reactivity of the PEPK antigen having five repetitions escalated within a week post-inoculation and continued the upward trend for the succeeding four weeks.
- The optical density values, which are the measurement units for the test, were high for sera from horses that had recovered from strangles and those who were infected experimentally with S. equi.
- Conversely, the optical density values were distinctly lower for sera belonging to horses that had recovered from an experimental S. zooepidemicus infection, as well as those obtained from healthy horses.
Implications and Conclusion
- The results suggest that the PEPK repetition peptide could potentially be used as an antigen for the serological diagnosis of strangles in horses. It showed an increased reactivity as the number of its repetitions rose.
- The contrast in reactivity between horses infected with different subspecies and healthy horses indicates that the PEPK peptide could be a reliable marker for diagnosing strangles.
- Further research will be needed to explore this approach to diagnosis, including larger samples and various horse populations.
Cite This Article
APA
Hobo S, Niwa H, Anzai T.
(2008).
Proline-glutamic acid-proline-lysine repetition peptide as an antigen for the serological diagnosis of strangles.
Vet Rec, 162(15), 471-474.
https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.162.15.471 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Epizootic Research Center, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, 1400-4 Shiba, Shimotsuke-Shi, Tochigi 329-0412, Japan.
MeSH Terms
- Analysis of Variance
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
- Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Glutamic Acid / immunology
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Immune Sera / immunology
- Japan
- Lysine / immunology
- Peptides / immunology
- Proline / immunology
- Streptococcal Infections / blood
- Streptococcal Infections / diagnosis
- Streptococcal Infections / veterinary
- Streptococcus equi / immunology
- Streptococcus equi / isolation & purification
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Hobo S, Niwa H, Anzai T, Jones JH. Changes in Serum Antibody Levels after Vaccination for Strangles and after Intranasal Challenge with Streptococcus equi subsp. equi in Horses. J Equine Sci 2010;21(3):33-7.
- Wan J, Weldon E, Ganser G, Morris ERA, Hughes EV, Bordin AI, Heine PA, Hust M, Cohen ND, Gill JJ, Liu M. Immunogenic Streptococcus equi cell surface proteins identified by ORFeome phage display. mSphere 2025 Dec 23;10(12):e0062625.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
