Biomechanical and biochemical properties of the thoracic aorta in warmblood horses, Friesian horses, and Friesians with aortic rupture

BMC Veterinary Research

Research Article

Nele Famaey¹  Marija Smoljkic¹  Erik Claeys²  Luc Duchateau³  Catherine Delesalle⁴  Gunther van Loon⁵  Andrea Gröne⁶  Margreet Ploeg⁶  Koen Chiers⁷  Veronique Saey⁷  Richard Ducatelle⁷ 

[1] Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium;Department of Animal Production, Ghent University, Melle, Belgium;Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium;Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands;Department of Comparative Physiology and Biometrics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium;Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium;Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands;Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium;

关键词: Horse;    Aorta;    Rupture;    Tensile test;    Collagen;    Elastin;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12917-015-0597-0

 received in 2015-05-02, accepted in 2015-11-12,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThoracic aortic rupture and aortopulmonary fistulation are rare conditions in horses. It mainly affects Friesian horses. Intrinsic differences in biomechanical properties of the aortic wall might predispose this breed. The biomechanical and biochemical properties of the thoracic aorta were characterized in warmblood horses, unaffected Friesian horses and Friesians with aortic rupture in an attempt to unravel the underlying pathogenesis of aortic rupture in Friesian horses. Samples of the thoracic aorta at the ligamentum arteriosum (LA), mid thoracic aorta (T1) and distal thoracic aorta (T2) were obtained from Friesian horses with aortic rupture (A), nonaffected Friesian (NA) and warmblood horses (WB). The biomechanical properties of these samples were determined using uniaxial tensile and rupture assays. The percentages of collagen and elastin (mg/mg dry weight) were quantified.ResultsData revealed no significant biomechanical nor biochemical differences among the different groups of horses. The distal thoracic aorta displayed an increased stiffness associated with a higher collagen percentage in this area and a higher load-bearing capacity compared to the more proximal segments.ConclusionsOur findings match reported findings in other animal species. Study results did not provide evidence that the predisposition of the Friesian horse breed for aortic rupture can be attributed to altered biomechanical properties of the aortic wall.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Saey et al. 2015

【 图 表 】

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