title: Assessment of synovial fluid biomarkers in healthy foals and in foals with tarsocrural osteochondrosis.
abstract: Although alterations in biomarkers of cartilage turnover in synovial fluid (SF) have been demonstrated in horses with osteochondrosis (OC), there have been few investigations of such alterations in animals <1 year old. In this study tarsocrural SF samples from foals aged 18, 22 and 52 weeks of age were assessed for: (1) 'turnover' biomarkers of type II collagen (CPII and C2C) and proteoglycan (CS846 and glycosaminoglycans [GAG]); (2) matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity; (3) insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1; (4) transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1; (5) prostaglandin (PG) E(2); and (6) leukotriene B(4). Using a linear mixed model, the concentration of biomarkers was compared between animals that developed or did not develop radiographic evidence of OC at 24 or 48 weeks of age. The CPII:C2C ratio tended to be higher in OC-affected joints compared to controls at all ages, and this difference was statistically significant at 22 weeks of age. The concentrations of CS846 and IGF-1, and the CS846:GAG ratio were reduced in OC-affected joints relative to controls at 18 weeks of age only. At 52 weeks of age, the PGE(2) concentration was lower in joints with OC. Overall, there appears to be a consistent anabolic shift in type II collagen turnover in juvenile joints affected by OC. Aberrant proteoglycan turnover is not a hallmark of the late repair of this lesion but reduced concentrations of IGF-1 in SF may be associated with early-stage lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 114, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.c.degrauw@uu.nl
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Grauw
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donabédian
authors.forename: C H A
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: van de Lest
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perona
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lepage
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Martin-Rosset
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: van Weeren
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D006736:Horses / Q000378:metabolism*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism; D055034:Osteochondrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D011859:Radiography; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D013640:Tarsal Joints / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D024043:Collagen Type II; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D011453:Prostaglandins; D011509:Proteoglycans; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases