Plasma amino acid concentrations during experimental hyperinsulinemia in 2 laminitis models.
Authors: Stokes Simon M, Stefanovski Darko, Bertin François-René, Medina-Torres Carlos E, Belknap James K, van Eps Andrew W
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary Insulin dysregulation underpins endocrinopathic laminitis, yet precisely how hyperinsulinemia triggers lamellar failure remains incompletely understood. Researchers induced experimental hyperinsulaemia in two distinct laminitis models (oligofructose-challenged and lipopolysaccharide-challenged horses) to measure plasma amino acid concentrations and investigate whether insulin-driven hypoaminoacidemia—a mechanism known to compromise integumentary integrity in other species—might contribute to laminitis pathogenesis. Both models demonstrated significant reductions in circulating amino acids during hyperinsulinaemic periods, suggesting that insulin's suppressive effect on amino acid availability could impair the metabolic demands of lamellar tissue turnover and structural maintenance. These findings propose a plausible mechanistic link between the hyperinsulinaemia characteristic of equine metabolic syndrome and the subsequent lamellar breakdown observed clinically. For practitioners managing laminitis-prone horses, this work reinforces the critical importance of controlling insulin dysregulation through diet and weight management, whilst also opening discussion around potential roles for amino acid supplementation as an adjunctive therapeutic strategy in at-risk individuals.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Insulin dysregulation in laminitis-prone horses may cause amino acid imbalances that compromise hoof tissue integrity; monitoring insulin status becomes increasingly important for prevention
- •Dietary amino acid supplementation or insulin management strategies targeting hypoaminoacidemia may offer therapeutic potential for endocrinopathic laminitis cases
- •Understanding the hyperinsulinemia-hypoaminoacidemia-laminitis pathway helps explain why insulin control is critical in laminitis management
Key Findings
- •Hyperinsulinemia induces hypoaminoacidemia in equine laminitis models
- •Amino acid dysregulation may represent a mechanistic link between insulin dysregulation and laminitis pathogenesis
- •Hyperinsulinemia affects plasma amino acid concentrations in two different experimental laminitis models