Abstract: In horses, congenital defects of energy production from long-chain fatty acids have not been described so far. In contrast, inhibition of fatty acid degradation caused by the toxins hypoglycin A and methylenecyclopropylglycine from various maple species are observed frequently. These non-proteinogenic aminoacids are passed on placentally to fetuses or with collostrum or milk to newborn foals. Nevertheless, newborn foals become very rarely symptomatic. Vertical transmission apparently is not sufficient to induce clinical disease without a particular genetic constellation being present. One of these rare cases was investigated here using samples from a mare and her foal. Intoxication by hypoglycin A and methylenecyclopropylglycine is also of interest to human pathology, because these toxins have caused fatal poisonings after consumption of certain fruits many times, especially in children. Maple toxins, their metabolites and some short-chain acyl compounds were quantified by ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. An comprehensive spectrum of long-chain acylcarnitines was prepared using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Organic acids and acylglycines were determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. For evaluation, results of other horses poisoned by maple material as well as unaffected control animals were used. In the serum of the foal, hypoglycin A was detected at a low concentration only. Toxin metabolites reached <3.5% of the mean of a comparison group of horses suffering from atypical myopathy. The spectrum of acylcarnitines indicated enzyme inhibition in short-chain and medium-chain regions typical of acer poisoning, but the measured concentrations did not exceed those previously found in clinically healthy animals after maple consumption. The values were not sufficient to explain the clinical symptoms. In contrast, a remarkably strong enrichment of tetradecenoylcarnitine and hexadecenoylcarnitine was observed. This proves a blockade of the long-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase (EC 4.2.1.74). Vertical transfer of maple toxins to a newborn foal is sufficient for induction of clinical disease only if there is an additional specific reactivity to the active toxins. This was found here in an inhibition of long-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase. Isolated dysfunction of this enzyme has not yet been reported in any species. Further studies are necessary to prove a specific genetic defect.
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The research investigates a rare case of a newborn horse experiencing severe energy production defects from long-chain fatty acids, which is linked to inherited toxins from certain maple species. These toxins interfere with fatty acid degradation, but the symptoms are seldom visible in newborns without a specific genetic makeup. However, this study confirms that the presence of these toxins can trigger clinical disease in the presence of particular reactivity to them.
Research Objectives and Methods
The study aimed to investigate an unusual case of a newborn horse, the offspring of a mare, which was displaying clinical symptoms typically associated with toxins from maple trees.
The toxins in question were hypoglycin A and methylenecyclopropylglycine – non-proteinogenic amino acids found in various species of maple. These toxins can pass from the mare to the foal, either through the placenta or via colostrum or milk.
The research involved quantifying the presence of maple toxins, their metabolites, and other short-chain acyl compounds. This was achieved using ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.
Other methods employed for data collection included electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (to prepare a spectrum of long-chain acylcarnitines), as well as gas chromatography mass spectrometry to measure organic acids and acylglycines.
The results were evaluated alongside data from other horses poisoned by maple material, as well as unaffected control animals.
Key Findings
Hypoglycin A was present in the serum of the foal but at a low concentration. Metabolites of the toxin were meaningfully below the average levels found in a comparison group of horses suffering from atypical myopathy – an uncommon muscular condition.
The acylcarnitines spectrum signified enzyme inhibitions typically seen in cases of acer (maple) poisoning. However, the measured concentrations did not exceed those previously found in healthy animals after maple consumption, suggesting they were not behind the clinical symptoms.
On the contrary, significant enrichment of tetradecenoylcarnitine and hexadecenoylcarnitine was observed, confirming a blockade of the long-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase (EC 4.2.1.74).
This suggests that vertical transfer of maple toxins to a newborn horse can instigate clinical disease only if there’s an additional specific reactivity to the toxins.
The phenomenon of isolated dysfunction of this enzyme has not been reported in any species, bringing into consideration the existence of a unique genetic defect. However, this needs to be confirmed through further investigation.
Cite This Article
APA
Sander J, Terhardt M, Janzen N.
(2021).
Severe Inhibition of Long-Chain Acyl-CoA Enoylhydratase (EC 4.2.1.74) in a Newborn Foal Suffering From Atypical Myopathy.
Front Vet Sci, 8, 765623.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.765623
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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