Equine Umbilical Cord Serum Composition and Its Healing Effects in Equine Corneal Ulceration.
Authors: Peyrecave-Capo Xavier, Saulnier Nathalie, Maddens Stéphane, Gremillet Bérengère, Desjardins Isabelle
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Umbilical Cord Serum for Equine Corneal Ulcers Corneal ulcers that fail to respond to standard treatment present a significant clinical challenge in equine practice, prompting investigation into biological therapies that might accelerate healing. Researchers compared the biochemical composition of autologous serum (AS) and umbilical cord serum (UCS) collected from horses, measuring key growth factors and cytokines before conducting a prospective clinical trial in which six horses with non-healing complex ulcers (>5 mm²) received topical UCS drops alongside conventional therapy. Whilst AS and UCS contained comparable levels of vitamin A, insulin growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor-BB, UCS demonstrated significantly higher transforming growth factor-beta-1 concentrations (3,245 pg/ml versus 2,571 pg/ml in AS) and notably contained no detectable pro-inflammatory cytokines, whereas AS exhibited variable inflammatory marker levels. All six treated ulcers achieved complete epithelialisation within 13–42 days (median 17 days), with no adverse effects or recurrences observed at one month follow-up. Although the small sample size and lack of age-matched controls limit definitive conclusions about healing time reduction, these findings suggest umbilical cord serum represents a promising adjunctive therapy for non-healing equine corneal defects—particularly valuable given its superior anti-inflammatory profile and enriched growth factor composition compared to autologous serum preparations.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Umbilical cord serum may be a practical adjunctive therapy for stubborn corneal ulcers, particularly because it lacks pro-inflammatory cytokines that could delay healing
- •UCS requires umbilical cord collection at foaling time and storage for future use, making it feasible for practices with breeding operations
- •While results are promising, this small case series lacks control animals—conventional treatment alone should continue until larger controlled trials demonstrate clear superiority
Key Findings
- •Umbilical cord serum (UCS) contained significantly higher TGF-β1 concentration than autologous serum (3,245 vs. 2,571 pg/ml, p=0.04)
- •UCS contained no detectable pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, MCP-1) whereas autologous serum had variable concentrations
- •All 6 horses with complex corneal ulcers (median area 37.2 mm²) achieved complete epithelialization within 13-42 days (median 17 days) using UCS drops with conventional therapy
- •No adverse effects or recurrences were observed within 1 month of UCS treatment