@article{willette_gerras_sledge_koch_2023, title={A Case Report of Uterine Body Constriction Precluding Normal Parturition Leading to Dystocia in a Mare}, volume={10}, ISSN={["2306-7381"]}, DOI={10.3390/vetsci10020139}, abstractNote={Simple Summary The presentation of equine dystocias to a referral clinic varies significantly. This case report describes the clinical and postmortem findings of a case of uterine body constriction in a late gestation mare that precluded normal vaginal delivery, ultimately resulting in fetal mortality with humane euthanasia of the mare. Gross examination revealed a circumferential, tan, fibrous band at the base of the uterine body that constricted the uterus and was adhered to the left and right ovaries, supporting the diagnosis of a uterine body constriction. Abstract A 13-year-old multiparous Quarter Horse mare was presented to the Michigan State University’s, Large Animal Emergency service for dystocia. Clinical evaluation revealed a minimally dilated cervix on vaginal examination, with a palpable deceased fetus. Postmortem evaluation following owner-elected humane euthanasia revealed a circumferential, tan, fibrous band at the base of the uterine body that constricted the uterus and was adhered to the left and right ovaries. A routine histologic section of the incarcerating cord attached to the ovary consisted predominately of dense fibrous connective tissue, large blood vessels, and a central oviduct suggestive of a rent in the broad ligament. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report to describe uterine body constriction that precluded vaginal delivery of a fetus in a late gestation mare.}, number={2}, journal={VETERINARY SCIENCES}, author={Willette, Jaclyn and Gerras, Allison and Sledge, Dodd and Koch, Drew}, year={2023}, month={Feb} } @article{koch_schnabel_reynolds_berry_2023, title={Pneumatic compression therapy using the EQ Press accelerates lymphatic flow in healthy equine forelimbs as determined by lymphoscintigraphy}, volume={84}, ISSN={["1943-5681"]}, DOI={10.2460/ajvr.22.12.0214}, abstractNote={OBJECTIVE Limb lymphedema in horses can be debilitating and painful. Pneumatic compression therapy has shown significant benefits for people suffering from lymphedema. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a novel, equine-specific pneumatic compression device on the lymphatic flow of healthy horse forelimbs as determined by Tc-99m sulfur colloid lymphoscintigraphy. ANIMALS 6 healthy Thoroughbreds. PROCEDURES In a randomized crossover design, horses underwent bilateral forelimb lymphoscintigraphy following subcutaneous injection of Tc-99m sulfur colloid at the coronary band as untreated control or with pneumatic compression therapy using the EQ Press. Lateral, static images were obtained of the distal limb (time 0 to 60 minutes) and proximal limb (time 30 to 60 minutes) using a standard gamma camera. Lymphatic flow was determined by assigning a score to the time point at which Tc-99m sulfur colloid was first visualized at the level of the accessory carpal bone (1 to 7) in the distal limb and the cubital lymph node (1 to 4) in the proximal limb. RESULTS EQ Press treatment led to a significantly faster lymphatic flow of Tc-99m sulfur colloid to the predetermined anatomic locations of the accessory carpal bone (P = .002) in the distal limb and the cubital lymph node (P = .001) in the proximal limb. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Pneumatic compression therapy as provided by an equine-specific device encouraged lymphatic flow in healthy, nonedematous equine forelimbs. These data support further study of the EQ Press for pneumatic compression therapy in horses clinically affected by lymphedema and lymphatic drainage disorders.}, number={4}, journal={AMERICAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY RESEARCH}, author={Koch, Drew W. and Schnabel, Lauren V and Reynolds, Justin and Berry, Clifford R.}, year={2023}, month={Apr} } @article{v. schnabel_koch_2023, title={Use of mesenchymal stem cells for tendon healing in veterinary and human medicine: getting to the "core" of the problem through a one health approach}, volume={261}, ISSN={["1943-569X"]}, DOI={10.2460/javma.23.07.0388}, abstractNote={The purpose of this manuscript, which is part of the Currents in One Health series, is to take a comparative approach to stem cell treatment for tendon injury and consider how the horse might inform treatment in other veterinary species and humans. There is increasing experimental and clinical evidence for the use of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to treat tendon injuries in the horse. The same evidence does not currently exist for other species. This manuscript will review why the equine superficial digital flexor tendon core lesion might be considered optimal for stem cell delivery and stem cell interaction with the injury environment and will also introduce the concept of stem cell licensing for future evaluation. The companion Currents in One Health by Koch and Schnabel, AJVR, October 2023, addresses in detail what is known about stem cell licensing for the treatment of other diseases using rodent models and how this information can potentially be applied to tendon healing.}, number={10}, journal={JAVMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION}, author={V. Schnabel, Lauren and Koch, Drew W.}, year={2023}, month={Oct}, pages={1435–1442} } @article{koch_berglund_messenger_gilbertie_ellis_schnabel_2022, title={Interleukin-1 beta in tendon injury enhances reparative gene and protein expression in mesenchymal stem cells}, volume={9}, ISSN={["2297-1769"]}, DOI={10.3389/fvets.2022.963759}, abstractNote={Tendon injury in the horse carries a high morbidity and monetary burden. Despite appropriate therapy, reinjury is estimated to occur in 50–65% of cases. Although intralesional mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has improved tissue architecture and reinjury rates, the mechanisms by which they promote repair are still being investigated. Additionally, reevaluating our application of MSCs in tendon injury is necessary given recent evidence that suggests MSCs exposed to inflammation (deemed MSC licensing) have an enhanced reparative effect. However, applying MSC therapy in this context is limited by the inadequate quantification of the temporal cytokine profile in tendon injury, which hinders our ability to administer MSCs into an environment that could potentiate their effect. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to define the temporal cytokine microenvironment in a surgically induced model of equine tendon injury using ultrafiltration probes and subsequently evaluate changes in MSC gene and protein expression following in vitro inflammatory licensing with cytokines of similar concentration as identified in vivo. In our in vivo surgically induced tendon injury model, IL-1β and IL-6 were the predominant pro-inflammatory cytokines present in tendon ultrafiltrate where a discrete peak in cytokine concentration occurred within 48 h following injury. Thereafter, MSCs were licensed in vitro with IL-1β and IL-6 at a concentration identified from the in vivo study; however, only IL-1β induced upregulation of multiple genes beneficial to tendon healing as identified by RNA-sequencing. Specifically, vascular development, ECM synthesis and remodeling, chemokine and growth factor function alteration, and immunomodulation and tissue reparative genes were significantly upregulated. A significant increase in the protein expression of IL-6, VEGF, and PGE2 was confirmed in IL-1β-licensed MSCs compared to naïve MSCs. This study improves our knowledge of the temporal tendon cytokine microenvironment following injury, which could be beneficial for the development and determining optimal timing of administration of regenerative therapies. Furthermore, these data support the need to further study the benefit of MSCs administered within the inflamed tendon microenvironment or exogenously licensed with IL-1β in vitro prior to treatment as licensed MSCs could enhance their therapeutic benefit in the healing tendon.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE}, author={Koch, Drew W. W. and Berglund, Alix K. K. and Messenger, Kristen M. M. and Gilbertie, Jessica M. M. and Ellis, Ilene M. M. and Schnabel, Lauren V. V.}, year={2022}, month={Aug} } @article{koch_schnabel_ellis_bates_berglund_2022, title={TGF-beta 2 enhances expression of equine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell paracrine factors with known associations to tendon healing}, volume={13}, ISSN={["1757-6512"]}, DOI={10.1186/s13287-022-03172-9}, abstractNote={Abstract Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) secrete paracrine factors and extracellular matrix proteins that contribute to their ability to support tissue healing and regeneration. Both the transcriptome and the secretome of MSCs can be altered by treating the cells with cytokines, but neither have been thoroughly investigated following treatment with the specific cytokine transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2. Methods RNA-sequencing and western blotting were used to compare gene and protein expression between untreated and TGF-β2-treated equine bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs). A co-culture system was utilized to compare equine tenocyte migration during co-culture with untreated and TGF-β2-treated BM-MSCs. Results TGF-β2 treatment significantly upregulated gene expression of collagens, extracellular matrix molecules, and growth factors. Protein expression of collagen type I and tenascin-C was also confirmed to be upregulated in TGF-β2-treated BM-MSCs compared to untreated BM-MSCs. Both untreated and TGF-β2-treated BM-MSCs increased tenocyte migration in vitro. Conclusions Treating equine BM-MSCs with TGF-β2 significantly increases production of paracrine factors and extracellular matrix molecules important for tendon healing and promotes the migration of tenocytes in vitro.}, number={1}, journal={STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY}, author={Koch, Drew W. and Schnabel, Lauren V and Ellis, Ilene M. and Bates, Rowan E. and Berglund, Alix K.}, year={2022}, month={Sep} }