Zinc and copper plasma levels in Icelandic horses with Culicoides hypersensitivity.
Abstract: Zinc concentration has been shown to have a potent immunomodulatory capacity, particularly influencing T helper cell organisation and cytokine secretion. Culicoides hypersensitivity (CHS) in horses resembles the early and late phase of type I hypersensitive reactions in man, characterised by a shift from T helper cell subtype 1 to T helper cell subtype 2 cytokine profile. In this pilot study, zinc and copper levels were measured in the plasma of 48 CHS-affected and 56 healthy Icelandic horses age 4-25 years (mean approximately 11 years) kept on 7 farms. Affected horses were divided into 3 groups according to the severity of disease. Time of blood collection and feeding management was constant. No differences in zinc or copper plasma levels and plasma copper/zinc ratio were determined among CHS horses and controls by univariate analysis of variance. Therefore, the most significant influences on zinc and copper plasma levels were affected by the location of housing. However, Spearman correlation showed a negative coefficient between the plasma zinc concentration and the severity of CHS (r = -0.31). Due to a probability value of P = 0.002 the null hypothesis r = 0 is rejected, although only 9% of the total variation of plasma zinc is presently explained by its relationship to CHS. In contrast, the Spearman correlation coefficient between plasma copper levels and severity of CHS was not significant (r = -0.14; P = 0.16). The minor deviations in plasma zinc concentrations in association with the severity of CHS may be real or due to neurohumoral or cytokine-mediated mechanisms, but appear too minimal to be relevant.
Publication Date: 2001-09-18 PubMed ID: 11558747DOI: 10.2746/042516401776254916Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research examines the relationship between the levels of zinc and copper in the blood plasma of Icelandic horses and their hypersensitivity to Culicoides midges. The study suggests there is a minor correlation between decreased zinc levels and the increased severity of the hypersensitivity, but the influence is not strong enough to be considered significant.
Significance of Zinc and Copper in Immune Reactions
- The study starts by recognizing the immune-modulatory capacity of zinc. It is capable of influencing T helper cell organization and cytokine secretion, which are vital components of an immune response. Similarly, Copper is also an essential trace element for humans and animals affecting multiple systems including the immune response. Consequently, changes in their levels could have an impact on how the immune system reacts to hypersensitivity incidences such as those caused by Culicoides in horses.
Structure of the Study
- The research involved measuring zinc and copper in the plasma of both healthy and CHS-affected Icelandic horses. The afflicted horses were classified into three groups based on the severity of their disease.
- Notably, the study kept constant the time of blood collection and feeding management to eliminate these variables. This way, they could isolate the effects of CHS on the zinc and copper plasma levels.
Findings of the Study
- Data analysis revealed no significant variation in zinc or copper plasma levels and the plasma copper/zinc ratio between the healthy horses and the CHS-affected ones. The most significant impacts on zinc and copper plasma levels were related to the location of housing – an environmental factor rather than the disease status of the horses.
- However, the study discovered a slight negative correlation between zinc plasma levels and the severity of CHS. This suggests low levels of zinc could potentially enhance the horse’s sensitivity to Culicoides. Yet, this correlation only accounted for 9% of the total variation in zinc plasma levels, not significant enough to influence the outcomes.
- There was no significant correlation between plasma copper levels and severity of CHS.
Conclusion of the Study
- The observed fluctuations in plasma zinc concentrations relating to the seriousness of CHS could be actual or due to neurohumoral or cytokine-mediated mechanisms. Yet, the changes seem too minimal to be significant or medically relevant. As such, the study suggests that changes in Zinc and Copper plasma levels are not substantial potential biomarkers for the severity of CHS in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Stark G, Schneider B, Gemeiner M.
(2001).
Zinc and copper plasma levels in Icelandic horses with Culicoides hypersensitivity.
Equine Vet J, 33(5), 506-509.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516401776254916 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- University Clinic for Ungulates and Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna, Austria.
MeSH Terms
- Analysis of Variance
- Animal Husbandry
- Animals
- Case-Control Studies
- Ceratopogonidae / immunology
- Copper / blood
- Environment
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Housing, Animal
- Hypersensitivity / blood
- Hypersensitivity / veterinary
- Pilot Projects
- Pruritus / blood
- Pruritus / etiology
- Pruritus / veterinary
- Severity of Illness Index
- Zinc / blood
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- van Bömmel-Wegmann S, Gehlen H, Barton AK, Büttner K, Zentek J, Paßlack N. Zinc Status of Horses and Ponies: Relevance of Health, Horse Type, Sex, Age, and Test Material. Vet Sci 2023 Apr 16;10(4).
- Mochizuki M, Hayakawa N, Minowa F, Saito A, Ishioka K, Ueda F, Okubo K, Tazaki H. The concentration of iodine in horse serum and its relationship with thyroxin concentration by geological difference. Environ Monit Assess 2016 Apr;188(4):226.
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