Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026
09:34
Targeted Next-generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Pipeline to Evaluate Genetic Determinants of Constitutional Disease
Published on: April 4, 2018
Genomics in Equine MEED: Whole-Genome Sequencing and Target Mutation Identification.
Kayden Tanner1, Marshall Mays1, Thu Annelise Nguyen1
1School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas Tech University, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Genetic analysis reveals that cumulative mutations in low-frequency categories contribute to Multisystemic Eosinophilic Epitheliotropic Disease (MEED) in horses, impacting epithelial integrity and immune regulation.
Area of Science:
- Equine genetics
- Veterinary pathology
- Genomics
Background:
- Multisystemic Eosinophilic Epitheliotropic Disease (MEED) is a rare, severe equine disorder.
- Characterized by chronic inflammation, epithelial disruption, and multi-organ involvement.
- The genetic basis of MEED remains undefined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic underpinnings of MEED using whole-genome sequencing.
- To identify genetic variants associated with the disease in horses.
Main Methods:
- High-depth whole-genome sequencing of one affected horse and 40 controls.
- Variant identification and analysis, focusing on moderate- and high-impact mutations.
- Gene prioritization, pathway analysis, and network analysis.
Main Results:
- Over 6.3 million variants identified; rare and private variants were enriched in the affected horse.
- The affected horse exhibited numerous missense mutations, suggesting distributed protein-altering effects.
- Disruption of cytoskeletal organization, microtubule dynamics, epithelial integrity, and immune regulation pathways were highlighted.
Conclusions:
- Population genomic insights into MEED are provided for the first time.
- A model is supported where cumulative mutations contribute to epithelial instability and inflammation in MEED.
- Findings suggest a link between impaired epithelial barrier function and immune homeostasis in equine disease.
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