Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Evidence of oxidative injury of the spinal cord in 2 horses with equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy.
- Journal:
- Veterinary pathology
- Year:
- 2012
- Authors:
- Wong, D M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In a study of two horses diagnosed with equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM), researchers looked for signs of damage to the spinal cord caused by oxidative stress, which is when harmful molecules can damage cells. They found that the spinal cord cells in these horses showed signs of this damage, while healthy horses did not. Both affected horses also had low levels of vitamin E, an important nutrient that helps protect cells, which suggests that a lack of vitamin E might be linked to the oxidative damage seen in EDM. This research indicates that oxidative injury could be a factor in this condition, but more studies are needed to fully understand how EDM develops.
Abstract
The cervical spinal cords of 2 horses with equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM) were evaluated for evidence of oxidative damage to the central nervous system (CNS) using immunohistochemical staining for 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) and 4-hydroxynonenol (4-HNE). Neurons of the CNS from horses with EDM had positive immunohistochemical staining, whereas control samples did not, thus supporting the theory that oxidative damage is a potential underlying factor in horses with EDM. In addition, serum vitamin E concentration was low in both EDM-affected horses, and vitamin E concentration was also deficient in the cerebrospinal fluid in 1 EDM horse, further supporting the association between low vitamin E concentrations and oxidative damage to the CNS. Continued research is necessary to further define the pathophysiologic mechanisms of EDM.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22390882/