Project description:Objective: The objective of this study was to characterize extracellular vesicles (EVs) in plasma and synovial fluid obtained from horses with and without naturally occurring post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Animals (Samples): EVs were isolated from plasma and synovial fluid from horses with (n = 6) and without (n = 6) PTOA. Methods: Plasma and synovial fluid EVs were characterized with respect to quantity, size, and surface markers. Small RNA sequencing was performed and differentially expressed miRNAs underwent bioinformatic analysis to identify putative targets and to explore potential associations with specific biological processes. Results: Plasma and synovial fluid samples from horses with PTOA had a significantly higher proportion of exosomes and a lower proportion of microvesicles compared to horses without PTOA. Small RNA sequencing revealed several differentially expressed miRNAs including miR-144, miR-219-3p, and miR-199a-3p in plasma and miR-199a-3p, miR-214, and miR-9094 in synovial fluid EVs. Bioinformatics analysis of the differentially expressed miRNAs highlighted their potential role in fibrosis, differentiation of chondrocytes, apoptosis, and inflammation pathways in PTOA. Clinical Relevance: We have identified dynamic molecular changes in small non-coding signatures of plasma and synovial fluid EVs in horses with naturally occurring PTOA. These findings could serve to identify promising biomarkers in the pathogenesis of PTOA, to facilitate the development of targeted therapies, and to aid in establishing appropriate translational models of PTOA.
Project description:The mechanism of body growth in mammals is poorly understood. Here, we report the regulatory networks involved in body growth through analyzing transcriptomes of pituitary and epiphyseal tissues of Debao ponies and Mongolian horses at juvenile and adult stages. We found that GHR was expressed little in long bones though GH was highly expressed in Debao ponies compared with Mongolian horses. Moreover, m-RAS and ATF3, involved in the GHR pathway, were found to be significantly downregulated in juvenile ponies, which slowed the proliferation of bone osteocytes. However, WNT2 and PLCβ2 were obviously upregulated in juvenile Debao ponies, which led to premature mineralization of bone extracellular matrix. Furthermore, we found that the WNT/Ca2+ pathway may be responsible for the regulation of body growth. We then demonstrated that GHR was lacking in long bones of Debao ponies using RT-qPCR and Western blot. Treatment with WNT antagonist 1 decreased expression of the WNT pathway (P≤0.05) in vitro. The transduction of ATDC5 cells with GHR-RNAi lentivirus decreased expression of the GHR pathway (P≤0.05). Additionally, detection of plasma hormone concentrations showed that the ponies had higher levels of IGF-1 as juveniles and GH in adulthood than Mongolian horses, indicating that the hormone regulation in Debao ponies differs from that in Mongolian horses. Our work provides an insight into the genetic regulation for dwarf growth in mammals and a reference for therapeutic strategy for dwarfism
Project description:Sixteen severly RAO (Recurrent Airway Obstruction) affected horses were studied. All RAO affected male horses were hybridized with GSM1332974 (Thoroughbred male 1, male reference), and the female horses were with GSM1332975 (Thoroughbred female 2, female reference). Finally results are compared with GSE55266 and two other control horses (SPA-H1-3 and SPA-H1-5) and relatively novel RAO CNVs were reported.
Project description:Stress fractures are microcracks in bone caused by repetitive loading and these microcracks can increase the risk of developing catastrophic fractures. Early detection of stress fractures can be difficult due to the necessity of accurate clinical detection. MicroRNAs could be used as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers due to their size, abundance, tissue specificity and stability in body fluids. Global profiling of circulating plasma small RNA-sequencing between lame horses (stress fractures and non-stress fractures) and non-lame control horses and the effects and role of selected stress fracture-related miRNAs on equine bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) were investigated. The miRNA profiles of stress fracture cases and non-lame stress fracture cases were similar. No miRNA was identified for potential usage as a biomarker for differentiating stress fracture from lame cases. However, the miRNA profiles of lame cases and non-lame control horses were significantly different. RNA-sequencing showed three miRNAs (eca-miR-486-5p, eca-miR-26a and eca-miR-23a) were most significantly differentially expressed (p value <0.05) between lame cases and non-lame controls, which was validated by qPCR. Of these, eca-miR-486-5p demonstrated the most abundant and significant increased miRNA in the lame cases compared to non-lame control cases. Cell transfection experiments using the miR-486-5p mimic treatment in equine BMMSCs showed upregulation of the osteogenic transcription factor, Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) and insulin-like growth factor type 1 (IGF1). A significant decrease of miR-133a in the miR-486-5p mimic treated cells was also demonstrated. Since RUNX2 is the known target of miR-133a, miR 486-5p together with miR-133a would suggest the biological importance of bone turnover and osteogenesis in equine BMMSCs, but further investigation of role of miR-486-5p and miR-133a in equine bone biology is warranted.
Project description:The purpose of this experiment was to further our understanding of gene expression in the central nervous system (thalamus and cerebrum) after exposure to West Nile virus. To that end, three different analyses were performed. The first examined differences in gene expression between horses not vaccinated and exposed to WNV and normal control horses (exposure). The second examined differences in gene expression between horses not vaccinated and exposed to WNV and horses vaccinated and exposed to WNV (survival). And the third examined differences between the nonvaccinated cerebrum and nonvaccinated thalamus of horses exposed to WNV (location). Six conditions- Gene expression in the thalamus and cerebrum of three different groups of horses (Non-vaccinated horses exposed to West Nile virus, Vaccinated horses exposed to West Nile virus, normal horses not exposed to West Nile virus). Biological replicates- 6 normal cerebrums, 6 normal thalamus, 6 vaccinated and exposed cerebrums, 6 vaccinated and exposed thalamus, 6 non-vaccinated and exposed cerebrum, 6 non-vaccinated and exposed thalamus.
Project description:38 horses from 16 diverse breeds and Przewalski's Horse were used to generate a composite CNV map of equine genome. This map was used to detect novel copy number variation in six horses affected with disorder of sexual development (DSD).