Disparate effects of LPS infusion and carbohydrate overload on inflammatory gene expression in equine laminae.

Although clinical evidence of endotoxemia has been associated with the development of acute laminitis in hospitalized horses with gastrointestinal diseases and endotoxins have been detected in the circulation of horses with experimentally-induced laminitis, it is unclear what role, if any, endotoxins have play the pathogenesis of the disease. Therefore, in the present study we compared the effects of endotoxin infusion to that of intra-gastric administration of mixed carbohydrate (CHO) on clinical signs of laminitis, plasma concentrations of TNF-α and IL-10, and laminar tissue expression of 20 genes associated with inflammation. Horses were divided into 4 groups: Control (water placebo, n=7), endotoxin infusion (LPS, n=6), CHO/Developmental (30% decrease in central venous pressure, n=6) and CHO/Lame (Obel grade I laminitis, n=7). Horses in the LPS group developed clinical signs consistent with systemic inflammation, had rapid increases in plasma concentrations of both TNF-α and IL-10, and leukopenia, but did not have any changes in laminar tissue expression of the genes associated with inflammation. In contrast, horses administered CHO developed clinical signs consistent with systemic inflammation, had more delayed increases in TNF-α, IL-10 and total leukocyte counts, and had marked increases in laminar tissue expression of the genes associated with inflammation. Only the horses administered CHO developed clinical signs of laminitis, providing additional credence to the concept that factors other than endotoxin are responsible for the changes in laminar tissue gene expression that occur during the development of acute equine laminitis.

Effects of clopidogrel and aspirin on platelet aggregation, thromboxane production, and serotonin secretion in horses.

BACKGROUND: Critically ill horses are susceptible to thrombotic disease, which might be related to increased platelet reactivity and activation. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effect of oral clopidogrel and aspirin (ASA) on equine platelet function. ANIMALS: Six healthy adult horses. METHODS: Horses received clopidogrel (2 mg/kg p.o. q24h) or ASA (5 mg/kg p.o. q24h) for 5 days in a prospective randomized cross-over design. Platelet aggregation responses to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and collagen via optical aggregometry, and platelet secretion of serotonin (5HT) and production of thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2) ) by ELISA were evaluated. In horses receiving clopidogrel, high-performance liquid chromatography analysis for clopidogrel and its carboxylic-acid metabolite SR 26334 was performed. RESULTS: SR 26334 was identified in all clopidogrel-treated horses, although the parent compound was not detected. Clopidogrel resulted in decreases in ADP-induced platelet aggregation persisting for 120 hours after the final dose. ADP-induced platelet aggregation decreased from a baseline of 70.2 ± 14.7% to a minimum of 15.9 ± 7.7% 24 hours after the final dose (P < .001). Collagen-induced aggregation decreased from a baseline of 93 ± 9.5% to a minimum of 70.8 ± 16.9% 48 hours after the final dose (P < .001). ASA did not decrease platelet aggregation with either agonist. ASA decreased serum TXB(2) from a baseline value of 1310 ± 1045 to 128 ± 64 pg/mL within 24 hours (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Clopidogrel effectively decreases ADP-induced platelet aggregation in horses, and could have therapeutic applications for equine diseases associated with platelet activation.

Rapid infusion of a phospholipid emulsion attenuates the effects of endotoxaemia in horses.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Endotoxaemia currently is associated with a poor prognosis in horses. The results of recent trials in other species indicate that phospholipid emulsions reduce the deleterious effects of endotoxin (LPS). However, in a previous study in horses, a 2 h infusion of emulsion caused an unacceptable degree of haemolysis. HYPOTHESIS: Rapid administration of a lower total dose of emulsion would reduce the effects of LPS and induce less haemolysis; the emulsion would reduce inflammatory effects of LPS in vitro. METHODS: Twelve healthy horses received an i.v. infusion either of saline or a phospholipid emulsion (100 mg/kg), followed immediately by E. coli 055:B5 LPS (30 ng/kg). Clinical parameters, haematological profiles, serum tumour necrosis factor (TNF) activity, serum lipid profiles, urine analyses and severity of haemolysis were monitored before and at selected times after LPS. Monocytes were also incubated in vitro with LPS in the presence or absence of emulsion, after which TNF and tissue factor activities were determined. RESULTS: Clinical signs of endotoxaemia were reduced in horses receiving the emulsion, including clinical score, heart rate, rectal temperature, serum TNF activity, and the characteristic leucopenic response to LPS, when compared to horses not receiving the emulsion. Three horses receiving the emulsion had none, 2 had mild and one had moderate haemolysis. There were no differences in urinalysis results and creatinine concentrations, either within the groups over time or between the groups. Serum concentrations of phosphatidylcholine, bile acids and triglycerides peaked immediately after the infusion; there were no significant changes in concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids or cholesterol. Incubation of equine monocytes with emulsion prevented LPS-induced TNF and tissue factor activities. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid administration of emulsion significantly reduced inflammatory effects of LPS in vivo and caused a clinically insignificant degree of haemolysis. The results of the in vitro studies indicate that emulsion prevents not only LPS-induced synthesis of cytokines, but also expression of membrane-associated mediators (i.e. tissue factor). POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Rapid i.v. administration of emulsions containing phospholipids that bind endotoxin may provide a clinically useful method of treating endotoxaemia in horses.

Investigation of mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, and cyclooxygenase-2 in cultured equine digital artery smooth muscle cells after exposure to endotoxin.

OBJECTIVE: To determine messenger RNA expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interleukin- (IL)-1beta from cultured equine smooth muscle cells (SMC). SAMPLE POPULATION: Segments of palmar digital artery harvested from 6 clinically normal adult horses. PROCEDURE: Explants were collected from the tunica media of arteries for primary culture of SMC. Equine mononuclear cells were used as control cells. Subcultured vascular SMC and control cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (20 microg/ml and 100 ng/ml, respectively). Northern blot analysis with equine-specific probes for COX-2, TNF-alpha, and IL-1beta was performed, using isolated total cellular RNA. RESULTS: Although no message was detected for IL-1beta or TNF-alpha in control or endotoxin-exposed equine vascular SMC from all horses, COX-2 underwent a distinct substantial up-regulation after endotoxin exposure. Endotoxin-exposed equine mononuclear cells had up-regulation of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Increased expression of COX-2 mRNA by equine vascular SMC may be an important early pathophysiologic event in the onset of endotoxemia in horses. Potentiated local vascular production of various prostanoids after increased expression of mRNA for COX-2 may result in vasoactive events observed with laminitis.

Effect of intravenous infusion of omega-3 and omega-6 lipid emulsions on equine monocyte fatty acid composition and inflammatory mediator production in vitro.

The effect of intravenous administration of lipid emulsions enriched with omega-3 (n3) and omega-6 (n6) fatty acids on equine monocyte phospholipid fatty acid composition and the synthesis of inflammatory mediators in vitro was evaluated. In a randomized crossover design, horses were infused intravenously with 20% lipid emulsions containing n3 or n6 fatty acids. Monocytes were isolated from the horses before and 0 h, 8 h, 24 h, and 7 days after lipid infusion. Monocyte fatty acid analysis demonstrated incorporation of the parenteral n3 and n6 fatty acids in monocyte phospholipids immediately after infusion, with changes in the fatty acid composition persisting for up to 7 days after infusion. In vitro production of the inflammatory mediators thromboxane B2/thromboxane B3 (TXB(2/3)) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) by peripheral blood monocytes was diminished by n3 lipid infusion and was unchanged or increased by n6 lipid infusion. The results of this study demonstrate that short-term infusions of n3 and n6 fatty acid-enriched lipid emulsions alter the fatty acid composition of equine monocyte phospholipids and modify the inflammatory response of these cells in vitro. These results also support further investigation into the use of parenteral n3 fatty acids as part of the supportive therapy of patients with multiple organ dysfunction (MODS) or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).

Effect of tumor necrosis factor antibody given to horses during early experimentally induced endotoxemia.

OBJECTIVE: To test efficacy of murine monoclonal, rabbit polyclonal recombinant equine or human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rETNF or rHTNF, respectively) antibodies to inhibit native equine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity. ANIMALS: 8 and 18 healthy adult horses for parts 1 and 2 of the study, respectively. PROCEDURES: In part 1, supernates from endotoxin-activated peritoneal macrophages were incubated with various dilutions of each rETNF antibody and subsequently tested for TNF activity. Serum was also obtained from a horse 1 hour after infusion with 20 ng of endotoxin/kg of body weight and was incubated with various dilutions of rabbit polyclonal rHTNF antibody. In part 2, 20 ng of endotoxin/kg was infused in horses during a 30-minute period. Fifteen minutes after the endotoxin infusion was initiated, 1 of 3 preparations was infused: 0.1 mg of rabbit polyclonal (rHTNF antibody/kg, 0.1 mg of human IgG/kg, or 500 ml of 5% dextrose. Clinical and hematologic data were collected for 24 hours. RESULTS: Compared with the monoclonal antibody, the rabbit polyclonal rETNF antibody was more effective in inhibiting TNF activity. The 50% effective doses of the murine monoclonal rETNF, rabbit polyclonal rETNF, and rabbit rHTNF antibodies were 1.8, 0.8, and 0.6 micrograms of antibody/ml, respectively. In part 2, endotoxin infusion resulted in significant alternations in all variables; however, differences among treatment groups were not significant. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although murine monoclonal and rabbit polyclonal rETNF or rHTNF antibodies are capable of inhibiting native equine TNF activity in vitro, when given after initiation of endotoxemia, administration of 0.1 mg of rabbit polyclonal rHTNF/kg does not alter the response to infusion of endotoxin.

Effect of pentoxifylline, flunixin meglumine, and their combination on a model of endotoxemia in horses.

OBJECTIVE: To compare effects of a single dose of pentoxifylline (PTX), flunixin meglumine (FM), and their combination (FM/PTX) in a model of equine endotoxemia. ANIMALS: 24 healthy horses, aged 2 to 15 years. PROCEDURE: 4 groups (n = 6/group) received 30 ng of Escherichia coli O55:B5 endotoxin/kg of body weight, i.v., over 30 minutes, and 1 of the following preparations 15 minutes before and 8 hours after endotoxin infusion: FM, 1.1 mg/kg; PTX, 8 mg/kg; FM/PTX, 1.1 mg of FM and 8 mg of PTX/kg; and saline solution bolus (ENDO). Clinical and hematologic variables were measured over 24 hours. RESULTS: Compared with ENDO, FM given before endotoxin significantly reduced TxB2, and 6-keto-PGF1 concentrations, pulse, rectal temperature, and attitude score. Pentoxifylline given before endotoxin resulted in significantly higher 6-keto-PGF1 concentration at 1.5 hours and significantly lower PAI-1 activity at 12 hours. Tumor necrosis factor and IL-6 activities in horses given PTX alone were not significantly different from values in those given the saline bolus. FM/PTX induced effects similar to those of FM alone on endotoxin-induced changes in temperature and TxB2 concentration, and 6-keto-PGF1 concentration was significantly lower than that in horses of the ENDO group at 1 hour. In horses of the FM group, 6-keto-PGF1 concentration was significantly lower than that in horses of the ENDO group, from 0.5 hour to 2 hours. Horses of the FM and FM/PTX groups had significantly higher IL-6 activity at 1.5 and 2 hours than did horses of the PTX and ENDO groups; those of the FM and FM/PTX groups had significantly lower WBC count than did those of the PTX and ENDO groups. CONCLUSIONS: FM/PTX may help offset deleterious hemodynamic effects of endotoxin more effectively than does either FM or PTX alone.

Effects of pentoxifylline infusion on response of horses to in vivo challenge exposure with endotoxin.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of pentoxifylline on response of horses to in vivo challenge exposure with endotoxin. ANIMALS: 24 healthy horses in 3 treatment groups: pentoxifylline, endotoxin, or endotoxin and pentoxifylline. PROCEDURE: Horses of the pentoxifylline group were given a bolus of pentoxifylline (7.5 mg/kg of body weight, i.v.), followed by an infusion (3 mg/kg/h) over 3 hours, and those of the endotoxin group were given 20 ng of endotoxin/kg i.v. over 30 minutes. Those of the combination group were given both of the aforementioned compounds; pentoxifylline was administered immediately after endotoxin. Clinical (rectal temperature, heart and respiratory rates, blood pressure) and hematologic (WBC count; whole blood recalcification time; plasma fibrinogen, thromboxane B2, and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha concentrations; plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor activity; and serum tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 6 activities) variables were evaluated over 24 hours. RESULTS: Compared with baseline values, there were no significant changes in any variable over time in the horses receiving only pentoxifylline, with the exception of a significant increase in WBC count. Rectal temperature, heart rate, mean blood pressure, WBC count, whole blood recalcification time, fibrinogen concentration, plasminogen activator inhibitor activity, tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 6 activities, and plasma thromboxane B2 concentration changed significantly over time in horses of the endotoxin and endotoxin-pentoxifylline combination groups. Respiratory rate and plasma 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha concentration changed significantly over time only in horses of the endotoxin group. Compared with values for the endotoxin group, rectal temperature and respiratory rate were significantly lower, and whole blood recalcification time was longer for the endotoxin/pentoxifylline group. CONCLUSION: Beneficial effects of pentoxifylline are limited when it is administered i.v. to horses after in vivo challenge exposure with endotoxin.

The effects of pentoxifylline infusion on plasma 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha and ex vivo endotoxin-induced tumour necrosis factor activity in horses.

Pentoxifylline (7.5 mg/kg) was bolused intravenously to eight healthy horses and was immediately followed by infusion (1.5 mg/kg/h) for 3 h. Clinical parameters were recorded and blood samples were collected for 24 h. Plasma was separated and concentrations of pentoxifylline, its reduced metabolite I, and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha were determined. Heparinized whole blood was also incubated ex vivo with 1 ng Escherichi coli endotoxin/mL blood for 6 h before determination of plasma tumour necrosis factor activity. The peak plasma concentrations of pentoxifylline and metabolite I occurred at 15 min after bolus injection and were 9.2 +/- 1.4 and 7.8 +/- 4.3 micrograms/mL, respectively. The half-life of elimination (t1/2 beta) of pentoxifylline was 1.44 h and volume of distribution (Vdarea) was 0.94 L/kg. The mean plasma concentration of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha increased over time, with a significant increase occurring 30 min after the bolus administration. Ex vivo plasma endotoxin-induced tumour necrosis factor activity was significantly decreased at 1.5 and 3 h of infusion. These results indicate that infusion of pentoxifylline will increase 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha and significantly suppress endotoxin-induced tumour necrosis factor activity in horses during the period of infusion.

Endotoxin induced expression of tumour necrosis factor, tissue factor and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity by peritoneal macrophages.

Peritoneal fluid was collected aseptically from 30 healthy adult horses and 115 horses with acute gastrointestinal disease and supernatant was separated from cells by centrifugation followed by freezing until assayed for endotoxin and tumour necrosis factor activity. Peritoneal macrophages obtained from healthy horses were incubated in vitro for 3, 6, 12 or 24 h in the absence (media control) or presence of Escherichia coli 055:B5 endotoxin (final concentrations of 1, 10, 100 or 1000 ng/ml). Macrophages obtained from horses with acute gastrointestinal disease were incubated for 12 h in the absence (media control) or presence of 100 ng endotoxin/ml. At the conclusion of the incubation, macrophage supernatants were collected and frozen at -70 degrees C until analysed for tumour necrosis factor activity. Macrophage membranes were lysed and frozen at -70 degrees C until assayed for tissue factor and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 activity. Compared to cells incubated with media, incubation of macrophages, obtained from healthy horses, with endotoxin significantly increased tumour necrosis factor, tissue factor and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 activity. These increases were dependent on the endotoxin concentration and the duration of incubation. Compared to cells incubated with media alone, incubation of macrophages, obtained from horses with acute gastrointestinal disease with endotoxin, significantly increased tumour necrosis factor and tissue factor activity. Endotoxin induced tumour necrosis factor activity in vitro was significantly less for macrophages from horses with acute gastrointestinal disease, as compared to that produced by similarly treated cells obtained from healthy horses. For those horses with acute gastrointestinal disease, macrophages obtained from horses with either endotoxin or tumour necrosis factor activity in the peritoneal fluid supernatant had significantly less endotoxin induced tumour necrosis factor in vitro, as compared to similarly treated cells obtained from horses without endotoxin or tumour necrosis factor activity in the peritoneal fluid supernatant. The results of this study indicate that exposure of equine peritoneal macrophages to endotoxin results in a significant increase in tumour necrosis factor, tissue factor and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 activity. After in vitro exposure to endotoxin, there is significant down-regulation of inflammatory mediator production by peritoneal macrophages obtained from endotoxaemic horses. These results suggest that these macrophages may exhibit early endotoxin tolerance.

Effect of free and vesicle-bound cysteine proteinases of Porphyromonas gingivalis on plasma clot formation: implications for bleeding tendency at periodontitis sites.

Infection by Porphyromonas gingivalis is strongly associated with adult periodontitis, with proteinases from this bacterium now considered to be important virulence factors. In order to investigate possible pathological functions of these enzymes, we examined the effect of both free and vesicle-bound forms of the two major cysteine proteinases (gingipains) of P. gingivalis on plasma clot formation by using thrombin time (TT) measurements. Both Lys-gingipain (gingipain-K) and Arg-gingipain (gingipain-R) prolonged plasma TT in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and this was also found with vesicles which are the biological carriers of P. gingivalis proteinases. The increase in plasma TT by vesicles could be completely reversed by treatment with nonspecific cysteine proteinase inhibitors but only partially by compounds selective for either gingipain-K or gingipain-R. Preincubation of vesicles with a gingipain-K-specific inhibitor (z-FK-ck) reduced plasma TT more than a gingipain-R-specific inhibitor (leupeptin), suggesting that under physiological conditions gingipain-K was more effective in fibrinogen destruction. Each purified enzyme also markedly increased fibrinogen TT, gingipain-R being fourfold more potent than gingipain-K. However, in plasma, gingipain-R was ineffective because of the inhibitory effect of albumin. These results imply that cysteine proteinases, especially gingipain-K, abrogate the clotting potential of fibrinogen and, therefore, may contribute to the bleeding tendency and to persistent inflammation in periodontitis sites infected with P. gingivalis.

Increased phospholipid mass with decreased arachidonoyl molecular species is associated with decreased eicosanoid synthesis and increased tumor necrosis factor synthesis by thioglycollate-elicited rat peritoneal macrophages.

Because the activation state of macrophages may alter their response to endotoxin, we compared phospholipid arachidonic acid content, and synthesis of eicosanoids and tumor necrosis factor by resident and thioglycollate-elicited rat peritoneal macrophages. Thioglycollate elicitation increased macrophage phospholipid mass twofold, increased the relative percentages of 16:0-20:4 diacylglycerophosphocholine (PtdCho) and 18:0-20:4 diacylglycerophosphoethanolamine (PtdEtn), and decreased the relative percentages of 18:0-20:4 alkenylacylglycerophosphoethanolamine (PlsEtn) and 18:0-20:4 alkylacylglycerophosphocholine (PakCho) compared with resident peritoneal macrophages. Thioglycollate-elicited macrophages synthesized significantly less thromboxane B2, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, and prostaglandin E2 and more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity in response to both endotoxin and A23187 than did resident macrophages. These results suggest that thioglycollate elicitation decreases specific arachidonic acid-containing molecular species in PlsEtn and PakCho, which may, in part, explain the decrease in eicosanoid and increase in TNF synthesis by thioglycollate-elicited macrophages. The differences between resident and thioglycollate-elicited macrophages in the synthesis of the eicosanoids and TNF activity was not altered by increasing either the concentration of either stimulus or the incubation time.

Fibrinolytic activity in plasma from horses with gastrointestinal diseases: changes associated with diagnosis, surgery, and outcome.

Plasma fibrinolytic activity was evaluated over 5 consecutive days in 59 horses admitted to the Large Animal Teaching Hospital with acute gastrointestinal diseases. Only horses hospitalized for at least 5 days were included in the study. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) were quantitated using standard chromogenic activity assays. Statistical analyses were performed using analysis of variance; differences were considered significant when P < or = .05. Activity of PAI-1, the primary endogenous inhibitor of fibrinolysis, was significantly increased on hospital days 2, 4, and 5 in horses that died, when compared with those that were discharged from the hospital. Plasma PAI-1 activity was not different at admission, but was significantly increased on hospital days 2 and 3 in horses that underwent surgery, when compared with those that did not, suggesting an acute phase response to surgical intervention. Horses with strangulating intestinal lesions had significantly increased PAI-1 activity on day 3, while PAI-1 activity was significantly greater in horses with inflammatory conditions at the time of admission, when compared with horses with strangulating or nonstrangulating/noninflammatory lesions. Among all horses, PAI-1 activity was significantly higher and tPA activity was significantly lower on day 2 when compared with other hospital days. These results suggest that fibrinolysis is inhibited early in the course of inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases and in response to surgery. In addition, among all horses, the prognosis for survival was poor for those with persistently increased PAI-1 activity, reflecting treatment failure and the loss of hemostatic regulation.

Dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids affects endotoxin-induced peritoneal macrophage tumor necrosis factor and eicosanoid synthesis.

The effect of 8 weeks of feeding diets enriched with corn oil, linseed oil, or menhaden oil on endotoxin- and calcium ionophore (A23187)-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and eicosanoid synthesis by rat peritoneal macrophages was determined. The fatty acid composition of macrophage phospholipids and TNF activity and eicosanoid synthesis in response to endotoxin and A23187 were determined. The ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids in macrophages from linseed oil or menhaden oil-fed rats decreased approximately 24- and 55-fold, respectively. Basal and endotoxin-induced synthesis of TNF was increased by ingestion of the menhaden oil diet but not by the linseed oil diet. Ingestion of the menhaden oil and linseed oil diets significantly reduced basal, endotoxin-, and A23187-induced synthesis of eicosanoids compared with the corn oil group. Ingestion of the menhaden oil diet resulted in a greater decrease in eicosanoid synthesis than the linseed oil diet.

Pentoxifylline inhibits mediator synthesis in an equine in vitro whole blood model of endotoxemia.

Whole blood from 10 healthy horses was aseptically collected into heparin or citrate anticoagulant and incubated in vitro for 6 hr in the absence (saline control) or presence of 1 ng endotoxin/ml blood. Pentoxifylline (0.1, 1, 10, or 100 micrograms/ml blood) was added 1 hr before, at the same time, or 1 hr after endotoxin. As compared to saline controls, pentoxifylline alone had no effect on mediator production, with the exception of significantly increasing 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha concentration. Pentoxifylline inhibited endotoxin-induced increases in tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) activity in a dose-related fashion, whether added before, at the same time, or after endotoxin. Pentoxifylline significantly inhibited tissue factor activity, but only when added before endotoxin. Pentoxifylline had no effect on endotoxin-induced 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha production, but significantly inhibited thromboxane B2 (TxB2) production. The results of this study indicate that pentoxifylline, at blood concentrations consistent with those achieved in vivo, has effects that may be beneficial in the treatment of endotoxemia.

Comparison of the effects of ketoprofen and flunixin meglumine on the in vitro response of equine peripheral blood monocytes to bacterial endotoxin.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro effects of flunixin meglumine, a cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, and ketoprofen, a reported cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase inhibitor, on the synthesis of cyclo-oxygenase end-products thromboxane B2 and prostaglandin E2, lipoxygenase derived 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, tumor necrosis factor and tissue factor. Six adult horses were each randomly administered flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg) or ketoprofen (2.2 mg/kg) intravenously every 12 hours with the drug treatments separated by two weeks. Blood samples were obtained prior to initiating treatment, the last day of treatment and for two consecutive days after the termination of treatment for measurement of serum concentrations of thromboxane B2 as well as isolation of peripheral blood monocytes. Quantitation of unstimulated, endotoxin- and calcium ionophore-induced synthesis of thromboxane B2, prostaglandin E2, 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, tumor necrosis factor and tissue factor by peripheral blood monocytes was performed in vitro. Both flunixin meglumine and ketoprofen significantly decreased serum concentrations of thromboxane B2 demonstrating in vivo cyclo-oxygenase inhibition. There were no significant differences between drug treatment groups in the in vitro production of thromboxane B2, prostaglandin E2, 12-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid, tumor necrosis factor or tissue factor. This study does not identify significant differences between the effects of flunixin meglumine and ketoprofen.

Administration of a receptor antagonist for platelet-activating factor during equine endotoxaemia.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is an important mediator of endotoxaemia and various PAF receptor antagonists prevent many of the adverse effects of experimental endotoxaemia in laboratory animals. In this study a specific PAF receptor antagonist was used to investigate the role of PAF in equine endotoxaemia. At an interval of not greater than 10 days, 6 horses were each challenged with endotoxin and endotoxin with concurrent administration of SRI 63-441, a PAF receptor antagonist. The order of the treatments was randomised. Clinical signs, serum biochemical and coagulation profiles, and platelet aggregation in vitro were monitored in all horses for 24 h after treatment. Challenge with endotoxin increased maximal platelet aggregation induced by PAF. This response was blocked by administration of SRI 63-441 concurrently with endotoxin. No changes in percentage maximal platelet aggregation to ADP or collagen were noted after administration of endotoxin. The PAF receptor antagonist delayed the onset of fever, tachycardia, leucopenia and lactic acidaemia. Lack of more profound beneficial alterations of the horses' responses to endotoxin may have been due to the low dose of endotoxin administered in this model or to only partial effectiveness of SRI 63-441 in blocking the effects of endotoxin-induced PAF.

Thromboxane A2 receptors in equine monocytes: identification of a new subclass of TXA2 receptors.

Thromboxane (TX) A2 has been implicated as an important pathophysiologic mediator of a variety of cardiovascular diseases. Monocytes synthesize TXA2 and it modulates their function. This study sought to characterize monocyte TXA2 receptors. Radioligand binding studies were performed on membranes prepared from equine peripheral blood monocytes using [125I]BOP, a TXA2 receptor agonist. [125I]BOP bound to a single class of binding sites (Kd = 1.0 +/- 0.3 nM and Bmax = 389 +/- 191 fmol/mg protein; n = 5). Several TXA2 receptor agonists and antagonists competed for binding with [125I]BOP. I-BOP produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of endotoxin-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity (IC50 = 9.6 +/- 2.5 nM; n = 5). In contrast to its effects in platelets and vascular smooth muscle, I-BOP significantly increased cAMP formation in monocytes (EC50 = 22 +/- 3.6 nM; n = 4). The TXA2 receptor antagonists SQ29548 (5.6 microM) and L657925 (0.13 microM) significantly blocked I-BOP-stimulated cAMP formation but did not block 250 nM prostaglandin E2-stimulated cAMP formation. These data support the presence of a TXA2 receptor in equine peripheral blood monocytes. Activation of this receptor results in suppression of endotoxin-induced TNF formation and stimulation of cAMP production. Increased cAMP production after receptor activation suggests that this receptor may represent a unique subclass of TXA2 receptors.

Equine tumor necrosis factor alpha: cloning and expression in Escherichia coli, generation of monoclonal antibodies, and development of a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

We describe the production and purification of recombinant equine tumor necrosis factor alpha (rETNF alpha), generation and characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) and rabbit polyclonal antibodies (Pabs) against ETNF alpha, and development of a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genomic-derived DNA sequences encoding mature ETNF alpha were reconstructed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis and were cloned into the vector pFLAG-1 for expression in Escherichia coli. rETNF alpha was purified by anti-FLAG immunoaffinity chromatography and then used as immunogen for production of murine Mabs and rabbit Pabs. Three Mabs (6H4, 9B10, and 12F6) were obtained from one fusion. All three Mabs recognized rETNF alpha on western blots. Mabs 6H4 and 9B10 recognized similar epitopes on rENTF alpha and neutralized both rETNF alpha and native ETNF alpha (nETNF alpha) in a WEHI cell cytotoxicity assay. A sensitive ELISA was developed using Mab 6H4 and biotin-labeled rabbit Pabs. The ELISA was shown to detect levels of ENTF alpha as low as 100 pg/ml and was used to demonstrate the induction of ETNF alpha in horses with experimental endotoxemia. The rETNF alpha, antibodies, and ELISA developed in this report should be useful tools for studies of TNF-mediated diseases in horses.