TITLE:
High Plasma Concentrations of Sclerostin, an Inhibitor of the Wnt Signaling Pathway, in Young Horses Affected by Osteochondrosis
AUTHORS:
Didier Serteyn, Luis Mendoza, Charlotte Sandersen, Isabelle Caudron, David Piquemal, Pascale Chavatte-Palmer, Jean-Philippe Lejeune
KEYWORDS:
Sclerostin, Osteochondrosis, Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway, Horse, Equine Osteochondrosis
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Orthopedics,
Vol.4 No.12,
December
9,
2014
ABSTRACT: Osteochondrosis
(OC) is a developmental disease in horses with a significant impact on the
horse’s welfare and performance. The early disturbance of enchondral
ossification progresses to inflammatory and healing process in older horses.
Metabolic pathway analysis showed an obvious dysregulation of several signaling
pathways related to cartilage formation and cartilage repair such as Wnt/β-catenin, Indian hedgehog and TGF-β signaling pathways. Other regulated
genes appeared to be involved in high carbohydrate diet, abnormal insulin metabolism
or inflammation. Sclerostin is an osteocyte-secreted soluble antagonist of the
Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. It
is crucial for osteoblast development and activity and is increased in
naturally occurring lesions of equine osteochondrosis. The aim of this study is
to compare the circulating sclerostin levels between OC-affected (n = 20) and
healthy horses (n = 19). A significant linear regression between plasma sclerostin
and age is observed especially in the healthy young horses. The mean plasma
sclerostin concentration is significantly higher in young horses suffering from
osteochondrosis compared to the control horses. These results reinforce the possible
role of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling
pathway in the OC pathogeny. The inhibition of this essential pathway could
disturb the osteo-chondral differentiation. More studies are currently needed
to define the eventual clinic interest of plasma sclerostin as future biomarker
in bone and cartilage diseases.