title: Activin A as a novel biomarker of equine inflammatory abdominal disease: preliminary findings.
abstract: This study evaluated the inflammatory mediator activin A in horses with acute abdominal disease and compared this putative novel biomarker with serum amyloid A (SAA). Thirty-three adult horses referred for evaluation of acute abdominal disease were grouped into three lesion categories, non-strangulating, strangulating or inflammatory. Eleven healthy adult horses served as controls. Serum activin-A was significantly increased in animals with inflammatory or strangulating lesions compared with controls. Horses with non-strangulating, strangulating or inflammatory lesions had significantly elevated SAA concentrations. Activin A, along with other biomarkers, may be useful in monitoring inflammation in cases of acute abdominal disease in horses. Further validation is warranted to determine the utility of this biomarker in evaluating the effectiveness of novel anti-inflammatory treatments for equine colic and endotoxaemia.
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne Equine Centre, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.affiliation: ARL Pathology Pty Ltd, 568 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sorich
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne Equine Centre, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Nath
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne Equine Centre, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Church
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne Equine Centre, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. Electronic address: bais@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000097:blood*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003085:Colic / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; C422405:activin A; D028341:Activins