Antibodies to elastin peptides in sera of Warmblood horses at different ages

Early diagnosis and monitoring progression of chronic diseases in elastin-rich tissues, such as chronic progressive lymphoedema in draught horses and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is still a real challenge in the horse. Use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect anti-elastin antibody (AEAb) levels might be useful to assess the status of such diseases. Baseline levels, representing physiological breakdown of elastin in normal horses, are not available at present.

Levels of AEAb in healthy horses are generally low and follow the same age-related pattern as found in man. Therefore, elevation of AEAb levels in serum can be used to evaluate pathological elastin breakdown in elastin-rich tissues.

Sera of 84 clinically healthy Warmblood horses were evaluated for the presence of AEAbs by means of a modified version of an ELISA technique used in man. The horses were divided in 5 age groups: A) < 4 months; B) 4-23 months; C) 2-3 years; D) 4-10 years; and E) > 11 years.

Antibodies to elastin were found in all equine serum samples tested. Their levels were lowest in Group A, low in Groups B and E and highest in animals age 2-10 years.

Measuring AEAbs in serum of horses by an ELISA technique proved to be possible and levels were stable during well-defined life stages.

Changes in AEAb levels are expected to be useful for early diagnosis and for monitoring progression of diseases that affect elastin-rich tissues, such as chronic progressive lymphoedema and COPD.