title: Evidence supporting an increased presence of reactive oxygen species in the diseased equine joint.
abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are capable of degrading many components of the joint in the presence of insufficient antioxidant defences, and as a result have been implicated in the pathogenesis of joint disease in horses. However, to our knowledge, evidence of ROS occurring in diseased joints of horses has not been reported. The objective of this experiment was to compare differences in synovial fluid protein carbonyl content (as a marker of oxidative modification of synovial fluid proteins by ROS) and the antioxidant status of synovial fluid between clinically normal and diseased equine joints. Synovial fluid was collected from the metacarpophalangeal, metatarsophalangeal, carpal and tarsal joints of 4 horses, age 2-5 years, as controls, and from diseased joints (metacarpophalangeal, metatarsophalangeal, carpal, tarsal and/or femoropatellar) of 61 horses, age 2-5 years. Synovial fluid protein carbonyl content was higher (P<0.01) in diseased joints as compared to controls. Antioxidant status of synovial fluid from diseased joints was higher, but not significantly, than that of controls (P = 0.0595). These findings require further study to determine their contribution to the overall disease process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523, USA.
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Dimock
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Siciliano
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: McIlwraith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006736:Horses; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D011506:Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species