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Equine veterinary journal2001; 33(3); 311-318; doi: 10.2746/042516401776249732

Pulmonary and systemic effects of inhaled endotoxin in control and heaves horses.

Abstract: To investigate whether inhaled endotoxin contributes to airway inflammation and dysfunction in stabled horses, control (n = 6) and asymptomatic heaves (previously termed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)-susceptible (n = 7) horses were given inhalation challenges with 20, 200 and 2,000 microg of soluble Salmonella typhimurium Ra60 lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS inhalation induced a dose-dependent neutrophilic airway inflammatory response in both groups. Inhalation with 2,000 microg of LPS also induced detectable lung dysfunction in the heaves group. LPS inhalation did not alter clinical score, tracheal secretion volume or airway reactivity in either group. The no-response thresholds were lower for the heaves group (2,000 microg for lung dysfunction). To enable comparison of these threshold levels with airborne endotoxin concentrations in stables, horses also received a 5 h duration hay/straw challenge, during which the total and respirable airborne endotoxin concentrations were determined. Comparison of the effects of acute LPS inhalation and hay/straw challenges suggest that inhaled endotoxin is not the sole cause of heaves. However, it is likely that it contributes to airway inflammation, both in heaves horses in concert with other inhalants, and in normal horses when they are exposed to high levels in poor stable environments.
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Publication Date: 2001-05-16 PubMed ID: 11352355DOI: 10.2746/042516401776249732Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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 study explored whether inhaling endotoxin increases airway inflammation and dysfunction in horses. The results suggest that while endotoxin might contribute to inflammations, it is not the only cause, particularly in horses with heaves (a respiratory condition), where other factors also come into play.

Study Design

  • The research team conducted an experiment on two groups of stabled horses – one group of control horses (n = 6), and another group of horses that had a susceptibility to heaves (n = 7), a condition previously referred to as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among horses.
  • Researchers exposed these horses to varied doses (20, 200, and 2,000 microg) of inhaled Salmonella typhimurium Ra60 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or endotoxin.
  • Furthermore, to make a comparison with natural stable conditions, the team also subjected horses to hay/straw challenge for five hours, during which they recorded the total and respirable airborne endotoxin concentrations.

Findings

  • Results revealed that the introduction of LPS caused a dose-dependent inflammatory response in the airways of both groups of horses, with more considerable response in horses as the dosage increased.
  • A notably high dosage (2,000 microg) of LPS also led to observable lung dysfunction in the heaves group. However, the inhalation of LPS didn’t affect the clinical score, tracheal secretions volume, or airway reactivity for either group.
  • When the researchers compared the effects of acute LPS inhalation and hay/straw challenges, they concluded that inhalation of endotoxin does not solely cause heaves.

Conclusions

  • The investigation concluded that while inhaled endotoxin could contribute to airway inflammation, it isn’t the sole cause, especially in horses with heaves. Other factors, potentially other inhalants, could also play a role.
  • The researchers also suggested that even in normal stabled horses, exposure to high levels of airborne endotoxins, especially in poorly maintained stable environments, could induce airway inflammation.

Cite This Article

APA
Pirie RS, Dixon PM, Collie DD, McGorum BC. (2001). Pulmonary and systemic effects of inhaled endotoxin in control and heaves horses. Equine Vet J, 33(3), 311-318. https://doi.org/10.2746/042516401776249732

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 0425-1644
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 33
Issue: 3
Pages: 311-318

Researcher Affiliations

Pirie, R S
  • Wellcome Trust Centre for Research in Comparative Respiratory Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, UK.
Dixon, P M
    Collie, D D
      McGorum, B C

        MeSH Terms

        • Air
        • Animals
        • Case-Control Studies
        • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
        • Endotoxins / toxicity
        • Female
        • Horse Diseases / chemically induced
        • Horse Diseases / etiology
        • Horses / physiology
        • Housing, Animal
        • Inhalation Exposure
        • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity
        • Lung / drug effects
        • Male
        • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / etiology
        • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / veterinary

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