Microarray molecular mapping of horses with severe asthma

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Immunology
• Equine Respiratory Diseases
• Environmental Allergy

Background:

• Severe asthma (SA) in horses is a common allergic respiratory condition.
• Elevated allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) is characteristic of SA.
• Understanding the exposome's impact on IgE profiles is crucial for SA diagnostics and therapeutics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate geographic variations in allergen sensitization profiles in horses with SA.
• To identify specific allergens associated with SA across different regions.
• To evaluate the utility of microarray profiling and mathematical modeling for SA classification.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed 35 sport horses from France, the United States, and Canada (SA and control groups).
• Employed serological antigen microarray profiling to assess sensitization profiles.
• Utilized Partial Least Square-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) and frequency analysis for allergen identification and classification.

Main Results:

• PLS-DA models demonstrated high discriminatory power for SA in Canada and France, but not the US.
• Hev b 5.0101, Cyn D, Der p 2, and Rum cr were identified as common allergens across all regions.
• Significant variability in sensitization profiles was observed between geographical locations.

Conclusions:

• Microarray profiling effectively identifies SA-associated allergens in horses.
• Mathematical modeling aids in SA classification and highlights geographic variability.
• Local environmental exposures are critical factors influencing allergen prevalence and SA in horses.