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.