Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Long-term immune cell changes in dogs after spinal cord injury
By Wesolowski, M et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2023·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Long-term changes of Th17 and regulatory T cells in peripheral blood of dogs with spinal cord injury after intervertebral disc herniation.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with spinal cord injuries caused by intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) were studied to understand changes in certain immune cells during recovery. The researchers found that after recovery, levels of two types of immune cells, Th17 and regulatory T cells, were higher compared to when the dogs were first injured. However, the balance between these cells did not seem to affect how severe the dog's condition was or how well they recovered. This suggests that while these immune cells change during recovery, they may not be directly linked to the outcome of the injury.
People also search for: dog spinal cord injury recovery · intervertebral disc herniation treatment · immune cells in dogs with IVDH
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) is one of the most common causes of spinal cord injury (SCI) in dogs. As a result of acute SCI, a complex inflammatory response occurs in the spinal cord. Th17 cells (Th17) produce pro-inflammatory cytokines, while regulatory T cells (Treg) have opposite effects producing anti-inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether Th17- and Treg cells are involved in the pathogenesis of SCI or whether cellular changes occur due to coexisting inflammatory diseases. We hypothesized that chronic alterations in the Th17/Treg ratio are associated with a worse outcome after SCI. METHODS: Twenty-six paretic or plegic dogs with IVDH with and without coexisting inflammatory disease were investigated in the acute stage of the disease and after recovery of SCI. In addition, a healthy control group was included (n = 14). Quantification of Th17 and Treg cells, from peripheral blood samples, was performed by multicolor flow cytometry and IL17 was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: After recovery significantly higher levels of Th17 (p = 0.0265) and Treg cells (p = 0.00025) were detected compared to acute IVDH but Th17/Treg ratio did not differ significantly. Recovered dogs and the control group did not differ significantly from each other. No association between an imbalance in the ratio and neurologic severity or underlying inflammatory diseases was found. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that altered Th17 and Treg levels in peripheral blood are altered in the acute stage of IVDH, preexisting inflammatory diseases seem not to influence these cell populations. Th17 and Treg cells could be considered when evaluating new treatment strategies for SCI.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37481518/