Measurement of plasma endothelin-1 concentration in healthy horses and horses with cardiac disease during rest and after exercise

Abstract

Cardiac biomarkers are important tools for monitoring disease progress and can monitor progression of therapy. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been studied for its use as a cardiac biomarker in human and small animal medicine while in horses with cardiac disease it has not been evaluated yet. The objective of the present study was to determine the concentration of plasma ET-1 in healthy horses and compare it with ET-1 concentration in horses with cardiac disease during rest and after exercise. Fifty four horses admitted to the Equine Clinic of Free University of Berlin were used in the present study, of which 15 horses were clinically healthy with no evidence of cardiac disease (Group 1), 22 horses suffered from cardiac disease with normal heart dimensions (Group 2) and 17 horses with cardiac disease and enlarged heart diameters (Group 3). Clinical examination, electrocardiography and echocardiography were performed. Endothelin-1 concentration was determined using ET-1 ELISA kit. The concentration of plasma ET-1 was significantly increased in horses with cardiac disease and normal cardiac dimensions (Group 2) and in horses with cardiac disease and enlargement of the left atrium (Group 3) compared to its concentration in clinically healthy horses (Group 1). In addition, the concentration of plasma ET-1 after exercise was significantly increased in diseased horses compared to its concentration at rest. Detection of ET-1 plasma concentration in horses at rest may be useful for detecting horses with changes in left atrial cardiac dimensions.

Measurement of ANP, BNP and endothelin‐1 concentrations in jumping horses with heart valvular regurgitation and their correlation with the dimensions of heart structures

“…It has been proved that endothelin‐1 concentration increases in cases with high pulmonary artery pressure (Chester & Yacoub, 2014). Therefore, in the current study, higher values of endothelin‐1 in horses with pulmonic regurgitation may be due to pulmonary artery disorders such as an increase in artery resistance and an increase in blood pressure because endothelin‐1 is secreted by vascular endothelial cells and is vasoconstriction and participates in the peripheral vascular resistance (Clarke et al, 1989; Gehlen et al, 2019).…”

“…Gehlen et al (2019) revealed that horses with valvular insufficiency have significantly higher endothelin‐1. Our study also showed an enhancement in endothelin‐1 concentration in horses with valvular regurgitation (Figure 2a), especially in pulmonic valve regurgitation (Figure 2b).…”

“…In veterinary medicine, it has been shown that plasma concentration of endothelin-1 was significantly increased in dogs with congestive heart failure (Prosek et al, 2004) and also in horses with heart disease (Gehlen et al, 2019). Gehlen et al (2019) showed that horses with valvular insufficiency and normal cardiac dimensions and horses with valvular insufficiency related to the left atrium extension have a significantly higher endothelin-1 concentration than healthy horses.…”

“…Natriuretic peptides, including B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), are groups of hormones that are often secreted by cardiac myocytes and exert influence on the cardiovascular system (Woods, 2004). Also, there is a family of peptides named endothelins, including endothelin‐1 (ET‐1), which is secreted primarily by vascular endothelial cells (Clarke et al, 1989; Gehlen et al, 2019) and is a vasoconstrictor agent (Agapitov & Haynes, 2002; Gehlen et al, 2019). These biomarkers can be used to diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases in human and veterinary medicine (Greco et al, 2003; Heishima et al, 2018; Maisel et al, 2018; Meems & Burnett, 2016; van Kimmenade & Januzzi, 2009).…”

An equine Endothelin 3 cis-regulatory variant links blood pressure modulation to elite racing performance

“…Several studies have demonstrated the effect of the EDN1 gene and the endothelin receptor gene, EDNRB, in horses and humans (73)(74)(75)(76)(77)(78)(79)(80)(81). Studies have suggested EDN1 as a marker for different diseases in horses, for example, hyperinsulinemia, neonatal diseases, and cardiac disease (76)(77)(78). Moreover, the EDNRB receptor is known to be associated with lethal white foal syndrome (73)(74)(75).…”