Results suggest that IL-1beta mRNA is expressed by perivascular cells in the laminar tissues of horses in the prodromal stage of experimentally induced laminitis. This provides evidence of an inflammatory process during the prodromal stage of laminitis, indicating that local digital proinflammatory cytokine expression may be an initiating factor in laminitis.

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.

Culture of SMC from equine palmar digital arteries via an explant protocol is a viable technique for studying vascular biological mechanisms in horses. In vitro studies of SMC may aid investigators in determining cellular mechanisms involved in disease processes such as laminitis.

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