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Streptolysin-O/antibiotics adjunct therapy modulates site-specific expression of extracellular matrix and inflammatory genes in lungs of Rhodococcus equi infected foals

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Abstract

The addition of streptolysin-O (SLO) to the standard antibiotics regimen was shown to be superior to antibiotics alone after experimental infection of foals with Rhodoccocus equi (R. equi). The objective of this study is to investigate this response by determining the site-specific expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) and inflammatory response genes in biopsy samples taken from three distinct lung regions of the infected foals. Twenty-four foals were challenged by intrabronchial instillation of R. equi and assigned to four treatment groups: SLO/antibiotics adjunct therapy, antibiotics-only therapy (7.5 mg/kg clarithromycin and 5 mg/kg rifampin), SLO-only, and saline-only treatments. Treatments were administered twice daily for 16 days unless symptoms progressed to the point where the foals needed to be euthanized. Gene expressions were determined using custom-designed equine real-time qPCR arrays containing forty-eight genes from ECM remodeling and inflammation pathways. A non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test for independent samples was applied to two pairs of time-matched comparison groups, SLO/antibiotics vs. antibiotics-only and SLO-only vs. saline-only, to document the significant differences in gene expressions within these groups. Several genes, MMP9, MMP2, TIMP2, COL1A1, COL12A1, ITGAL, ITGB1, FN1, CCL2, CCL3, CXCL9, TNFα, SMAD7, CD40, IL10, TGFB1, and TLR2, were significantly regulated compared to the unchallenged/untreated control foals. The results of this study demonstrate that enhancement of clinical responses by SLO is consistent with the changes in expression of critical genes in ECM remodeling and inflammatory response pathways.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Christoph Schorl, Ph.D and Hilary E. Hartlaub at the Brown University’s Genomics and Proteomics Core Facility for providing access to real-time PCR machines, analysis software, and for other technical and scientific support. The authors also thank Asli Ascioglu, Ph.D for providing assistance with the statistical analysis of the data.

Conflict of Interest

Volkan Gurel, Ph.D, Kristyn Lambert and John McMichael, Ph.D are paid employees of Beech Tree Labs, Inc.

Ethical Standards

Experiments comply with current laws of the United States.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beech Tree Labs Inc, 117 Chapman St, Providence, RI, 02905, USA

    Volkan Gurel, Kristyn Lambert & John McMichael

  2. Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Kentucky, 1400 Nicholasville Rd, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA

    Allen E. Page, Katherine Huges, John F. Timoney, Michael Fettinger & David W. Horohov

  3. University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, 1490 Bull Lea Rd, Lexington, KY, 40511, USA

    Alan T. Loynachan

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  1. Volkan Gurel
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  2. Kristyn Lambert
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  5. Katherine Huges
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Correspondence to Volkan Gurel.

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Gurel, V., Lambert, K., Page, A.E. et al. Streptolysin-O/antibiotics adjunct therapy modulates site-specific expression of extracellular matrix and inflammatory genes in lungs of Rhodococcus equi infected foals. Vet Res Commun 37, 145–154 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-013-9557-y

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