Effects of intraarticular treatment with stanozolol on synovial membrane and cartilage in an ovine model of osteoarthritis

Aim of the study was to verify the clinical and morphological effects of intra-articular stanozolol or placebo treatment, lasting 3 and 9 months, in sheep in which a femoro-tibial osteo-arthritis (OA) were surgically induced (medial bilateral meniscectomy). Twenty healthy sheep divided into four groups and two control animals group, after surgical medial bilateral meniscectomy, were weekly injected in femoral-tibial joint (FTJ) with stanozolol or placebo. Lameness evaluation was performed and synovial fluid was collected from all sheep at each treatment time. Necropsies were performed after 3 or 9 month as described in experimental design. Gross pathologies were described and specimen tissues collected from femoro-tibial articular joints were processed for routine histological examination. The gross anatomy of the FTJ was well-preserved in stanozolol-treated sheep; this also applied to the histological features of articular cartilage. Joint aseptic inflammation and fibrosis were observed in placebo- treated sheep, associated with a different degree of severity of condylar and tibial plate cartilage degeneration. Stanozolol intra-articular treatment reduces osteophytes formation and subchondral bone reaction and promotes articular cartilage regeneration

Desquamative gingivitis, oral hygiene, and autoimmune oral diseases: a scoping review

Desquamative gingivitis is a clinical condition with a chronic course, not specific to a particular disease, characterized by intense erythema, scaling, vesicles, and/or blisters that may involve both the marginal free gingiva (MG) and the neighboring adherent gingiva (AG). This scoping review aimed to investigate whether there is a correlation between oral hygiene and gingival lesions induced by autoimmune diseases of the oral cavity and whether periodontal disease can negatively influence a clinical picture of desquamative gingivitis due to an immune disorder of the oral cavity. Case series studies and randomized controlled trials were considered for this scoping review; studies that did not comply with the inclusion criteria were excluded. A total of seven studies were selected for this review. The PRISMA-ScR (preferred reporting items for scoping reviews) consensus has been followed. Based on the included studies, it is possible to state that improvement in disease and patient-reported outcomes may be the result of appropriate oral hygiene education when patients are found to have autoimmune diseases with gingival manifestations

The comparison of latero-medial versus dorso-palmar/plantar drilling for cartilage removal in the proximal interphalangeal joint

The aims of the present study were to compare the percentages of articular cartilage removed using a lateral drilling approach of the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) and a dorsal drilling approach, and to assess the usefulness of digital fluoroscopy when performing a lateral drilling approach. Sixty cadaveric PIPJs were drilled using a surgical drill bit to remove the articular cartilage. The limbs were divided into three groups containing 10 forelimbs and 10 hindlimbs each. One group received the dorsal drilling approach, the second one received the lateral drilling approach and the last one received the lateral drilling approach under digital fluoroscopy guidance. The percentage of articular cartilage removed from each articular surface was assessed using Adobe Photoshop® software. The percentages of removed cartilage turned out to be significantly higher with lateral approach, especially under fluoroscopic guidance, both in the forelimbs (p = 0.00712) and hindlimbs (p = 0.00962). In conclusion, the lateral drilling approach seems to be a minimally invasive technique with which to perform PIPJ arthrodesis, even more efficient than the previously reported dorsal approach

Freeze-drying protocols and methods of maintaining the in-vitro biological activity of horse platelet lysate

Platelet lysate, derived from platelets, are valuable biological products rich in bioactive molecules. Their use promotes tissue healing and modulates inflammation. However, maintaining the stability and bioactivity of platelet lysate is challenging since they degrade rapidly at room temperature. This study focused on the possibility to confer enhanced stability to freeze-dried equine platelet lysate as an alternative to platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Platelet lysate (PL) was derived from PRP and freeze-dried either as such or using various adjuvants. Primary cell cultures of porcine Vascular Wall-Mesenchymal Stem Cells were treated with different PL formulations, and cell viability was assessed using an MTT assay. Overall, the addition of PL significantly improved cell viability as compared to controls without growth factor supplementation or with foetal bovine serum. Notably, the freeze-drying process maintained the effectiveness of the PL for at least a week. Furthermore, the study revealed that varying the horse as the source of PL could yield varying effects on cell viability. Detailed freeze-drying protocols were established, including freezing, primary drying and secondary drying phases, and the type of adjuvant. This study demonstrated the potential of freeze-dried equine PL as a viable alternative to PRP and highlighted the importance of precise freeze-drying protocols and adjuvants for standardization. Equine PL showed promise for medical treatment in horses, offering advantages such as extended shelf life, ease of handling, and reduced transportation costs, with the potential for broadened therapeutic usage

Effects of Mechanical Vibration in Equine Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study

The use of therapeutic ultrasounds (TUs) is widespread in both human and veterinary medicine. In fact, mechanical vibration is the simplest and purest form of vibratory energy that is applied either in physical therapies or in rehabilitation medicine. In particular, the use of low-frequency TUs to treat equine conditions is a new and evolving field. In the equine industry, osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most challenging causes of lameness. Despite its prevalence and the advancements in its treatment, there is still no therapy whose results are completely decisive. Little is described in the literature about the use of TUs in horses' joints, particularly regarding its use to treat OA. For these reasons, the aim of this study was to preliminarily assess the efficacy of low-frequency ultrasound in two horses with metacarpo/metatarso-phalangeal joint OA. The reduction in lameness was significant in both treated cases, pointing to the effective therapeutic action of TUs. However, to better evaluate the long-term effects in athlete horses, it is necessary to include in the research a greater number of cases and a control group

Proteinase Activated Receptor 4 in the Jejunum of Healthy Horses and of Horses With Epiploic Hernia

Proteinase activated receptor 4 (PAR4) in the gastrointestinal tract is involved in the regulation of inflammation and pain pathways. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the distribution and expression of PAR4 in the jejunum of healthy horses and in the pathologic tracts from horses undergoing surgery for herniation of the small intestine through the epiploic foramen. Eight healthy horses (Group H) and eight horses with epiploic hernia (Group EH) were included; the jejunum samples were collected at the slaughter or intraoperatively after enterectomy, respectively. To evaluate PAR4 expression in sections of the jejunum, immunofluorescence, western blot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were performed. Immunohistochemistry of PAR4 in the jejunum of the healthy horses showed that receptors are predominantly expressed in the immune cell population scattered throughout the lamina propria of the mucosa and in the submucosa. Quantitative PCR data demonstrated that PAR4 mRNA was detectable in all of the samples analyzed without any difference between the H and the EH groups, however the PAR4 protein level was significantly lower in the jejunums of the EH horses. In the Group EH horses, PAR4 immunoreactivity was mainly expressed in the mast cells and was extensively distributed in the sierosa. In the lamina propria of mucosa of Group EH, leukocytes were less abundant than in Group H. In this study, the distribution and expression of PAR4 in the jejunums of the healthy horses and in those with spontaneous occurring epiploic hernia was demonstrated

Expression of Proteinase-Activated Receptor 2 During Colon Volvulus in the Horse

Large colon volvulus in horses is associated with a poor prognosis, especially when ischemic-reperfusion injury of the affected intestinal tract develops. Proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution and expression of PAR2 in colonic pelvic flexure of horses spontaneously affected by large colon volvulus (CVH group). Eight horses admitted for severe abdominal colon volvolus and which underwent surgery were included. Colon samples were collected after enterotomy. Data previously obtained from healthy horses were used as a control group. Histologic evaluation was carried out to grade the severity of the colon lesions. Immunofluorescence, western blot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were carried out on colon samples to evaluate PAR2 expression. In addition, the transcriptional profile of cytokines and chemokines was evaluated using RT2 Profiler™ PCR Array Horse Cytokines & Chemokines. Three out of the eight patients were euthanised due to clinical deterioration. Immunostaining for PAR2 was observed in the enterocytes, intestinal glands and neurons of the submucosal and myenteric plexi. In the CVH horses, the expression of PAR2 mesenger RNA (mRNA) did not differ significantly from that of the healthy animals; western blots of the mucosa of the colon tracts showed a clear band of the expected molecular weight for PAR2 (~44 kDa) and a band smaller than the expected molecular weight for PAR2 (25kDa), suggesting its activation. The gene expressions for C-X-C motif ligand 1 (CXCL1); interleukin 8 (IL8), macrophage inflammatory protein 2 beta (MIP-2BETA) were upregulated in the colic horses as compared with the colons of the healthy horses. Therefore, in the present study, the expression and activation of PAR2 in the colons of horses in the presence of an inflammatory reaction like that occurring in those with spontaneous colon volvulus was confirmed