Transforming growth factor beta concentrations and interferon gamma responses in cerebrospinal fluid of horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.
Abstract: The following experiment was performed to test the hypothesis that transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) concentration varies in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum of horses with EPM and to determine if cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) alters the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) rersponse of equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The concentration of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta2) was investigated in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 18 horses (9 normal, 9 affected with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis [EPM]). The TGF-beta2 assay was validated in a group of 6 normal horses. Intra-assay variability was 4.7%, and interassay variability was 10.7%. The slope of the curve of the unknown samples of various volumes demonstrated parallelism with a curve developed using equal volumes of assay kit standard. Assay of normal and EPM-affected horses found that TGF-beta2 was present in both the serum and CSF of all animals. However, the concentration of TGF-beta2 in the CSF was less (P = 0.03) in EPM-affected horses (144 pg/ml) than in normal horses (256 pg/ml). In addition, the effect of CSF from normal and EPM-affected horses on the production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by PHA-P stimulated PBMCs from normal horses was investigated using a bioassay. It was found that CSF from normal and EPM-affected horses enhanced IFN-gamma activity from PHA-P stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (P < or = 0.05); however, the response to CSF from EPM-affected horses was no different than the response to CSF from normal horses. Treatment of cells with anti-TGF-beta2 monoclonal antibodies slightly increased the response when co-incubated with CSF from normal horses, and slightly decreased it when co-incubated with CSF from EPM-affected horses. These differences, however, did not achieve statistical significance (P > 0.05). Results of this study indicated that production of TGF-beta2 is altered in horses with EPM, and that CSF appears to contain substances which alter the inflammatory reaction to plant lectins. These findings confirm the immunomodulatory properties of CSF and suggest new techniques for future research regarding the pathophysiology of EPM.
Publication Date: 2002-01-05 PubMed ID: 11770996DOI: 10.2746/042516401776249408Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Cerebrospinal Fluid
- Clinical Study
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Equine Health
- Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis
- Horses
- Immune Response
- Immunology
- In Vivo
- Infection
- Inflammatory Response
- Interferons
- Monoclonal Antibodies
- Mononuclear Cells
- Pathophysiology
- Protozoa
- Serum
- Transforming Growth Factor
- Veterinary Medicine
Summary
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This study examined the role of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) in horses affected with equine protozoal myeloencephila (EPM), a disease that impacts the central nervous system. It was discovered that the concentration of TGF-beta varied in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum, and that cerebrospinal fluid could alter the IFN-gamma response. These findings could present new ways of understanding and studying EPM.
Research Methodology
- The study used a sample of 18 horses, nine of which were healthy and nine affected by EPM.
- Researchers conducted a TGF-beta2 assay study on these horses.
- Intra-assay variability (variation of results within the same assay run) was 4.7%, and interassay variability (variation between different assay runs) was 10.7%. This indicates a substantial uniformity in results.
- The researchers then analyzed the concentration of TGF-beta2 in the horses’ serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Findings
- TGF-beta2 was found in both the serum and CSF of all horses involved in the study, both healthy and EPM-affected.
- However, significantly lower levels of TGF-beta2 were observed in the CSF of horses with EPM (144 pg/ml) compared to that of healthy horses (256 pg/ml).
- The study also explored the effect of CSF from both healthy and EPM-affected horses on the production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by PHA-P stimulated PBMCs from healthy horses.
- Though the CSF from both normal and EPM-affected horses enhanced IFN-gamma activity within PBMCs, the response was not significantly different between the two groups.
- Treatment of cells with anti-TGF-beta2 antibodies showed a slight increase in the response when co-incubated with CSF from healthy horses, and a minimal decrease when co-incubated with CSF from EPM-affected horses. However, neither result was statistically significant.
Conclusions and Implications
- The study results highlight that TGF-beta2 production changes in horses afflicted with EPM.
- It also came to light that CSF contained substances that could alter the inflammatory response to plant lectins.
- This highlights the immunomodulatory properties of cerebrospinal fluid.
- The findings of this research could suggest new approaches for future research regarding EPM pathophysiology.
Cite This Article
APA
Furr M, Pontzer C.
(2002).
Transforming growth factor beta concentrations and interferon gamma responses in cerebrospinal fluid of horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.
Equine Vet J, 33(7), 721-725.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516401776249408 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal
- Biological Assay / veterinary
- Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections / immunology
- Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections / physiopathology
- Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / cerebrospinal fluid
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Interferon-gamma / cerebrospinal fluid
- Reproducibility of Results
- Sensitivity and Specificity
- Transforming Growth Factor beta / biosynthesis
- Transforming Growth Factor beta / blood
- Transforming Growth Factor beta / cerebrospinal fluid
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Reed SM, Furr M, Howe DK, Johnson AL, MacKay RJ, Morrow JK, Pusterla N, Witonsky S. Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis: An Updated Consensus Statement with a Focus on Parasite Biology, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Mar-Apr;30(2):491-502.
- Dubey JP, Howe DK, Furr M, Saville WJ, Marsh AE, Reed SM, Grigg ME. An update on Sarcocystis neurona infections in animals and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Vet Parasitol 2015 Apr 15;209(1-2):1-42.
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