Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) Proteomic Analysis of Saliva in Horses with Acute Abdominal Disease.
Authors: Muñoz-Prieto Alberto, Escribano Damián, Contreras-Aguilar María Dolores, Horvatić Anita, Guillemin Nicolas, Jacobsen Stine, Cerón José Joaquín, Mrljak Vladimir
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Salivary Proteomics in Equine Acute Abdominal Disease Acute abdominal disease in horses remains diagnostically challenging, prompting researchers to investigate non-invasive biomarkers that might aid early detection and monitoring. Using tandem mass tag (TMT) proteomics, Muñoz-Prieto and colleagues analysed saliva samples from eight horses presenting with acute abdominal disease against six healthy controls, identifying 17 significantly altered proteins from a total of 118 quantified—11 downregulated and 6 upregulated—with findings subsequently validated in a larger cohort using immunoassay. Notably, lactoferrin, latherin isoform X1, and gamma-enteric smooth muscle actin were significantly reduced in affected horses, suggesting compromised mucosal immunity and antimicrobial capacity, whilst mucin 19 and serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 5 were elevated, potentially reflecting protective inflammatory mechanisms. Lactoferrin emerged as a particularly promising candidate biomarker, as it declined consistently in horses with acute abdominal disease and could be reliably measured using commercially available assays. These findings warrant further investigation into salivary proteomics as a non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic tool, offering practitioners an accessible avenue for objective disease assessment that may complement traditional clinical examination and laboratory markers.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Salivary lactoferrin measurement via commercially available immunoassay may provide a non-invasive diagnostic or monitoring tool for horses with acute abdominal disease
- •The identified proteomic signature reflects compromised mucosal immunity in AAD cases, which could inform understanding of disease pathophysiology and recovery monitoring
- •This proteomic approach demonstrates feasibility of using saliva as a biofluid for disease assessment in equine practice, potentially useful alongside traditional clinical evaluation
Key Findings
- •TMT proteomic analysis identified 118 proteins in saliva, with 17 showing significant differences between horses with AAD and healthy controls
- •Lactoferrin, ACTA2, and latherin isoform X1 were downregulated in AAD horses, suggesting impaired primary immune defense and antimicrobial capacity
- •MUC19 and SPINK5 were upregulated in AAD horses, indicating protective mechanisms during inflammation
- •Lactoferrin showed potential as a novel biomarker for AAD diagnosis/monitoring and was successfully validated using commercial immunoassay