The New Bolton Center of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Florida have made important strides in mapping genetic pathways involved in dermatitis and identifying biomarkers that may lead to early diagnosis. more on dermatitis through blood tests.
“Hepatitis is a difficult problem for horses and their owners,” said Samantha Brooks, associate professor of equine physiology at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “We have very few tools in our arsenal to self-manage this disease. We treat the symptoms, pain and mechanical instability but don’t have anything yet to target the cause. .”
Because previous studies of nail dermatitis have been hampered by the scarcity of genetic information specific to nail tissues, the scientists exploited the Center’s Dermatitis Detection Database. New Bolton, an archive of data and samples from natural cases of dermatitis collected since 2008. Using that database, the researchers examined 36 archived tissues of 20 animals. Thoroughbred horses are treated for dermatitis, according to a joint research update provided by both universities.
There are three types of dermatitis and all impair the structure and function of the horse’s foot. This study provided a snapshot of the pathways of action and function of the nails, with a focus on supporting plantar fasciitis — the inflammatory skin disease presented by Yum in 2006 Kentucky Derby! Brands winner (G1) Barbaro succumbed.
“We understand the circumstances that trigger an episode of arachnoiditis, but we don’t fully understand what’s going on in the nail,” Brooks said. “This study has taken a very comprehensive look at the processes early in the development of meningitis.”
Using gene expression analysis, the researchers cataloged changes in gene transcription in 20 horses. Some have healthy feet, some are new in the course of the disease, and others are more severe. Researchers identify trends in the disease process.
“By mining my lab database and combining Dr Brooks’s unparalleled expertise in equine genetics and coding analysis, we have identified new and promising avenues promise in cellular stress and inflammatory responses, greatly improving our understanding of supporting limb arachnoiditis and its disease processes.” Hannah Galantino-Homer, senior investigator for meningitis research at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center.
The study made three main findings.
The first involves keratin, an important structural protein that helps maintain the structural integrity of materials such as hair, nails, and horseshoes. This study is one of the first to examine changes in the keratin family as atopic dermatitis progresses. Certain genes involved in keratin and cell production begin to decline as the disease begins. The researchers compared this change to when a car has a flat tire; it may still be running but it loses proper functionality and slows down.
Another type of cellular machinery commonly studied in meningitis is an enzyme called metalloproteinases, which are enzymes that help maintain cellular skeletons. These enzymes must maintain a careful balance. The hoof must be able to grow and not break under the horse’s weight, which requires a balance of remodeling and building tissue within the hoof. When the metalloproteinases become overactive, the nail begins to lose its structural strength. One previous theory for treatment was to prevent these enzymes from being overactive. However, targeting these enzymes can also stop nail growth and possibly lead to other problems.
As the keratin degrades, inflammation in the nails leads to vaginitis. Scientists have found a set of genes responsible for triggering inflammation that could pave the way for future drugs to treat inflammation. These genes have led researchers to believe that certain drugs for human autoimmune disorders could help horses recover from meningitis.
Changes in gene expression in diseased tissue are often reflected in changes in detectable proteins in the blood as the disease progresses. For example, specific proteins, or biomarkers, elevated in human blood following traumatic brain injury were increased expression in the meningococcal equine samples in this study. Medical practitioners have used these compounds to understand the severity of these lesions in humans without the use of more invasive imaging or testing. Brooks hopes this can be used as a tool to monitor the progression of meningitis in horses.
“We don’t always realize that a horse has severe meningitis until things get pretty bad,” says Brooks. “Initial surveillance tools and ways to combat this disease are exciting findings, but we need more research before these new tools are ready for use in the field.”
Brooks hopes that this study could lead to a blood test to detect these new laminitis-associated biomarkers, and to economical and effective drugs for horses with the disease.
“Ultimately, these new findings point us to a more targeted approach to future discovery that we hope will help uncover new solutions to prevention,” said Galantino-Homer. and treat this debilitating disease.
“This is a huge step forward in improving our understanding of vaginitis,” said Brooks. “Something that might have been completely incurable 10 years ago; 10 years from now we can intervene and make a significant difference to this disease early on.”
