Expression of genes with biomarker potential identified in skin from DSLD-affected horses increases with age.
Authors: Roberts Jennifer Hope, Zhang Jian, David Florent, McLean Amy, Blumenshine Karen, Müller-Alander Eva, Halper Jaroslava
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Gene Expression Biomarkers for DSLD Diagnosis Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD) remains a significant welfare challenge in horses, characterised by progressive connective tissue degeneration affecting tendons, suspensory ligaments and multiple systemic tissues, yet currently can only be definitively diagnosed post mortem through histological examination. Roberts and colleagues investigated whether specific genes identified as overexpressed in DSLD-affected skin could serve as biomarkers for antemortem diagnosis, using RNA sequencing followed by RNAscope in-situ hybridisation on skin biopsies from control and affected horses. Their findings demonstrated significant overexpression of both bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) and FOS gene products, particularly in hair follicles and epidermis respectively, with FOS expression notably higher in aging animals; keratin 83 (KRT83) showed elevated expression but lacked sufficient diagnostic specificity. A combined panel of BMP2 and FOS biomarkers demonstrated statistically relevant sensitivity and specificity for DSLD identification, especially in older horses, offering the first practical non-invasive diagnostic tool for this previously undiagnosable condition in living animals. For equine practitioners, this represents a significant advance enabling earlier disease recognition and intervention planning, though further validation studies are needed before clinical implementation, particularly to establish whether this panel could predict disease development in asymptomatic horses or detect subclinical progression.
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Practical Takeaways
- •A skin biopsy-based test using BMP2 and FOS markers may enable ante-mortem DSLD diagnosis in living horses, especially older animals, replacing current reliance on post-mortem confirmation
- •This molecular biomarker approach could facilitate earlier identification and management of DSLD-affected horses before advanced lameness develops
- •Further validation studies are needed before this two-marker panel can be implemented as a routine clinical diagnostic tool in practice
Key Findings
- •KRT83 and BMP-2 expression significantly increased in hair follicles of DSLD-affected horses compared to controls
- •FOS expression was abnormally elevated in the epidermis, particularly in aging DSLD horses
- •RNAscope in-situ hybridization proved more reliable and specific than immunohistochemistry for detecting gene expression differences
- •BMP2 and FOS biomarker panel demonstrated statistically relevant specificity and sensitivity for DSLD diagnosis in living horses