Adipose tissue dysfunction in obese horses with equine metabolic syndrome.
Authors: Reynolds A, Keen J A, Fordham T, Morgan R A
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
Reynolds and colleagues investigated whether obese horses with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) exhibit the same patterns of adipose tissue dysfunction documented in obese humans and rodents, where enlarged fat cells, fibrotic changes, inflammatory infiltration, and disrupted insulin signalling drive systemic metabolic dysfunction. Using adipose tissue biopsies from obese EMS-affected horses compared with metabolically normal controls, the team characterised cellular morphology, inflammatory markers, and insulin signalling capacity within the tissue. The findings demonstrated that obese EMS horses do indeed show adipocyte hypertrophy, increased fibrosis, elevated inflammatory cytokines, and impaired insulin-responsive signalling pathways—directly paralleling the pathophysiology seen in other species. These results provide mechanistic insight into why EMS horses remain insulin-dysregulated despite weight loss efforts, and suggest that managing adipose tissue inflammation through targeted interventions (including carefully designed exercise programmes and potentially anti-inflammatory nutritional strategies) may be as important as simple caloric restriction. For practitioners, this work underscores that EMS represents a genuine endocrine disorder rooted in tissue-level pathology rather than merely an overfeeding problem, fundamentally altering the clinical approach to these cases.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Obesity management is critical in horses with EMS, as adipose tissue dysfunction may underlie insulin dysregulation and metabolic complications
- •Veterinarians should recognize that pathological changes in adipose tissue similar to those in other species may occur in obese horses, requiring investigation and intervention
- •Weight loss and metabolic management strategies may help restore normal adipose tissue function and improve insulin sensitivity in affected horses
Key Findings
- •Obesity is a common feature of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)
- •Obese adipose tissue in other species exhibits pathological features including adipocyte hypertrophy, fibrosis, and inflammation
- •Impaired insulin signalling in adipose tissue contributes to whole body insulin dysregulation
- •Adipose tissue dysfunction has not been investigated in horses despite being documented in other species