Tendon biology and pathology
- IGF-1 and ageing
- Tenocytes and ageing
The correlation between serum IGF-1, local IGF-1 and tendon tissue turnover in the superficial digital flexor tendon in the horse, as a consequence of age
Aim: The primary objective of this study is to investigate if there is a correlation between serum IGF-1 and tendon IGF-1, and to see how the values change as a consequence of age. The secondary objective is to see if the IGF-1 levels (serum and/or tendon IGF-1) can be correlated to the quality of the tendon tissue.
Short description: Sport horses often goes through extended periods of lameness and hence time off work during their career, making lameness an important economical and welfare aspect of the horse industry. As is also seen in humans, the prevalence of injuries increase with the horse's age.
IGF-1 has been suggested as a biomarker for health, fitness and training status in humans. Declining plasma IGF-1 levels have been linked to cardiac failure, decreased bone density and bone mass, musculoskeletal atrophy, osteoarthritis and central nervous system degeneration in various mammals. In horses, low levels of IGF-1 has been linked to juvenile digital degenerative osteoarthropaty and osteochondrosis.
In this study, paired serum and tendon samples will be investigated for their levels of insulin-like-growth-factor-1 (IGF-1), and the levels will be correlated to parameters concerning the quality of the tendon tissue. These parameters will, among others, include determining the rate of collagen turnover (collagen half-life), pentosidine crosslinks as well as testing the mechanical strength of the tissue
Samples are taken from adult danish horses taller than 130 cm, age ranging from 4 to 35 years.
Main investigator: Tone Lygren
Collaborators: Lise C. Berg, Preben D. Thomsen, Stine Jacobsen, Mette Olaf Nielsen, Henning Langberg, Helen L. Birch, Chavaunne T. Thorpe
Funding: This project is partly funded by "Hesteafgiftsfonden", Videnscentret for Landbrug, Heste: http://www.hesteafgiftsfonden.dk
Publications:
T. Lygren, P. Schjerling, S. Jacobsen, L. C. Berg, M. O. Nielsen, H. Langberg and P. D. Thomsen (2012) Determination of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-I) in Equine Serum and Tendon Tissue by ELISA - a validation of the IDS Octeia assay. Veterinary Clinical Pathology 42(2):184-9. PubMed
T. Lygren, S. Hansen, H. Langberg, J. Fjeldborg, S. Jacobsen, M. O. Nielsen, P. Schjerling, B. Markussen, P. D. Thomsen, L. C. Berg (2014) Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 in the aging horse. Veterinary Clinical Pathology 43(4):557-60. PubMed
The anabolic effect of growth factors on tenocytes from immature, young adult and old adult horses (PhD)
Aim: To investigate the anabolic response in tenocytes from immature, young adult and old adult horses.
Short description: Tenocytes in monolayer will be treated with growth factors, and their anabolic as well as catabolic response will be measured. This study will reveal if the fall in tendon tissue quality might be due to a decreased anabolic response from the tenocytes as a consequence of age.
Main investigator: Tone Lygren
Collaborators: Lise C. Berg, Preben D. Thomsen, Stine Jacobsen, Mette Olaf Nielsen, Henning Langberg
Funding: This project is partly funded by "Hesteafgiftsfonden", Videnscentret for Landbrug, Heste: http://www.hesteafgiftsfonden.dk