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valuable biomarkers for evaluating joint health.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is prevalent among horses, particularly in athletic and older individuals, characterised by the gradual deterioration of synovial cartilage, underlying bone, and the synovial membrane of joints. Inflammation significantly contributes to OA's pathogenesis.
MiRNAs are implicated in the onset and progression of various diseases, including OA. They participate in regulating processes such as inflammation, cartilage degradation, chondrocyte apoptosis, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling. By targeting genes involved in cytokine production, such as interleukins (ILs) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), miRNAs modulate inflammatory responses.
Chondrocytes, the primary cells in cartilage tissue, play a pivotal role in maintaining cartilage homeostasis. Dysregulation of miRNAs can disrupt chondrocyte function and induce apoptosis, thereby contributing to cartilage degradation in OA.
Joshua Antunes and his colleagues at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Canada, undertook a study comparing miRNA levels in healthy and diseased joints, with their findings published in PLoS One.
In this small-scale investigation, they examined synovial fluid and blood samples from five horses with osteoarthritis (OA), five with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), and four control horses. Samples were obtained from client-owned horses undergoing joint arthroscopy for OA or OCD, while control samples came from the Arkell Equine Research Facility's herd at the University.
Analysis revealed 57 miRNAs with differential expression in OA versus control plasma, 45 in OCD versus control plasma, and 21 in OA versus OCD plasma. Notably, they observed higher expression of miR-140-5p in OA synovial fluid, suggesting its potential as an early protective marker against OA progression.
The researchers emphasize the need for larger study cohorts to validate miRNAs as joint health biomarkers before reaching definitive conclusions.
They also highlight the possibility of exploring miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks in OA, potentially leading to innovative miRNA-based diagnostic tools and therapies for this debilitating condition. Additionally, they propose further investigation into the therapeutic applications of these miRNAs for both OA treatment and prevention.
For more details, see:
microRNAs are differentially expressed in equine plasma of horses with osteoarthritis and osteochondritis dissecans versus control horses
Joshua Antunes, Ramés Salcedo-Jiménez, Starlee Lively, Pratibha Potla, Nathalie Coté, Marie-Soleil Dubois, Judith Koenig, Mohit Kapoor, Jonathan LaMarre, Thomas Gadegaard Koch
PLOS ONE
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