The use of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to detect proteins in saliva from horses with and without systemic inflammation.
Authors: Jacobsen Stine, Top Adler Ditte Marie, Bundgaard Louise, Sørensen Mette Aamand, Andersen Pia Haubro, Bendixen Emøke
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Editorial Summary Researchers applied liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to characterise the complete protein profile in saliva from seven systemically inflamed horses and six healthy controls, identifying 195 unique proteins across both groups. Notably, 57 proteins were exclusively detected in inflamed horses (appearing in two to six of the seven affected animals), with acute phase proteins including serum amyloid A, fibrinogen, haptoglobin and alpha1-acid glycoprotein being particularly prominent amongst the differentially expressed markers. This represents the first evidence that acute phase proteins translocate into equine saliva during systemic inflammation, mirroring patterns already documented in cattle, small ruminants, pigs and humans. The findings suggest considerable potential for non-invasive disease monitoring through salivary biomarkers—a practical advantage over blood sampling when assessing horses with infection, colic, respiratory disease or other inflammatory conditions. Further work validating these proteins as diagnostic or prognostic indicators in clinical field conditions could reshape how veterinarians and coaches monitor health status in performance and competition horses.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Saliva sampling offers a non-invasive method to monitor systemic inflammation in horses, potentially reducing stress and handling compared to blood sampling
- •Presence of acute phase proteins in saliva may allow veterinarians to screen for systemic inflammatory disease using a simple, animal-friendly collection method
- •Further validation is needed before salivary biomarkers can be reliably used as a diagnostic tool in equine clinical practice
Key Findings
- •195 unique proteins were identified in equine saliva using LC-MS/MS analysis
- •57 proteins were detected exclusively in saliva from horses with systemic inflammation (present in 2-6 of 7 affected horses)
- •Acute phase proteins including serum amyloid A, fibrinogen, haptoglobin, and alpha1-acid glycoprotein were detected in saliva from inflamed horses
- •Inflammatory protein profiles in equine saliva were similar to those previously described in cattle, small ruminants, and pigs