Use of quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics and ELISA to compare the alpha 2 macroglobulin concentration in equine blood-based products processed by three different orthobiologic devices.

This article discusses research that compared the concentrations of alpha 2 macroglobulin (A2M), a protein associated with joint health, found in horse plasma samples that were processed by three different commercial devices designed for joint therapy. The study found that the final concentrations of A2M in samples prepared by each device revealed no significant difference.

Understanding Alpha 2 Macroglobulin and Its Role

• Alpha 2 macroglobulin (A2M) is a protein found in the blood plasma and is part of the protease inhibitor class. It plays a crucial role in regulating proinflammatory cytokines which are released during bodily harm or disease, it also aids in the clearance of chondrodestructive enzymes that can degenerate cartilage especially in conditions like osteoarthritis and joint injuries.

The Purpose of the Study

• The main purpose of the study was to determine if there were differences in the concentrations of A2M in equine plasma samples that were processed by three different commercial devices designed for joint therapy.

The Methodology

• The study used plasma samples obtained from 13 healthy horses and used mass spectrometry to determine the concentration of protein analytes present in each sample.
• A specific A2M peptide was measured as a surrogate of the whole A2M protein through a technique called selected reaction monitoring.

The Results

• The results showed that there was no significant difference in concentration of A2M in the final samples produced by the Alpha2EQ device and the single-centrifugation platelet-poor (PP) samples produced by the Pro-Stride APS and the Restigen PRP devices.
• However, it was noted that the Pro-Stride APS and Restigen PRP samples had significantly higher A2M content compared to Alpha2EQ samples when A2M content in final concentration samples produced by each device was analyzed.
• Furthermore, the Pro-Stride APS final concentration samples showed significantly higher A2M concentration as compared to the Restigen PRP final samples.

The Conclusion

• The study demonstrated that the volume and A2M concentration in an Alpha2EQ final concentrate were not different than the volume and A2M concentration in the PP produced from Pro-Stride or Restigen devices.