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Pulmonary inflammatory diseases are common among athletic horses. Treatments include environment control, corticosteroidsand bronchodilators, and, in some cases, they may be palliative. Cell therapy plays a potential role in treatingmany horse injuries, but it has not yet been indicated for equine pulmonary inflammation. This study hipothesis was thatintrabronchially instilled platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can benefit horses with pulmonary inflammation. 10 adult horses ofdifferent breeds and engaged in various activities, with spontaneous cough, were examined. Physical examination, endoscopicexamination, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cytology were conducted as study methods. A solution (20mL) containing autologous PRP diluted in platelet-poor plasma (PPP) was instilled in the right and the left main bronchusthrough an endoscopically guided procedure. The animals were reevaluated seven days after the treatment. As a result,physical examination and BAL fluid cytology identified RAO, IAD and a normal BAL fluid cytological profile in two, fiveand three horses, respectively. However, none of the horses had cough, and tracheal mucus grade decreased (p = 0.051)seven days after the treatment. The IAD horses showed significative improvement, indicated by a comparison of the mucusgrade and BAL fluid neutrophil amount before and seven days after the treatment (2.4 ± 1.1 vs. 1.4 ± 0.5, p = 0.034 and13.0 ± 5.0 vs. 5.0 ± 3.3, p = 0.014, respectively). Intrabronchial PRP instillation was benefic for horses with IAD and mayrepresent a novel therapy for athletic horses with pulmonary inflammation, further studies being necessary.

Dietary fish oil supplementation increases the content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in cellular membranes. The highly unsaturated nature of n-3 PUFA could result in an enhanced lipid peroxidation in the oxidative environment characteristic of asthma. The oxidative reaction cascade culminates in an increased production of components associated to oxidative stress and of an important proinflammatory mediator platelet-activating factor (PAF)-like lipid. We evaluated the effect of fish oil supplementation in asthmatic rats upon the PAF bioactivity and parameters related to oxidative stress in the lung. Fish oil supplementation of asthmatic rats resulted in lower concentrations of nitrite (1.719 ± 0.137 vs. 2.454 ± 0.163 nmol/mL) and lipid hydroperoxide (72.190 ± 7.327 vs. 120.200 ± 11.270 nmol/mg protein). In asthmatic animals, fish oil increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) (33.910 ± 2.325 vs. 24.110 ± 0.618 U/mg protein) and glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9) (164.100 ± 31.250 vs. 12.590 ± 5.234 U/mg protein). However, fish oil did not affect PAF bioactivity in lung tissue of asthmatic rats (0.545 ± 0.098 340/380 vs. 0.669 ± 0.101 340/380 nm ratio). Considering the two-step process--oxidative stress and PAF bioactivity--fish oil exhibited a divergent action on these aspects of asthmatic inflammation, since the supplement lowered oxidative stress in the lungs of asthmatic rats, presenting an antioxidant effect, but did not affect PAF bioactivity. This suggests a dual effect of fish oil on oxidative stress and inflammation in asthma.

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterised by chronic airway inflammation. One of the most devastating consequences of this inflammatory process is the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species responsible for oxidative stress. The aim of this study is to analyse the efficiency of treatment with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSC) in maintaining the oxidative balance in a murine model of allergic asthma by quantifying nitrotyrosine in lung tissues. After confirmation of asthma in the experimental model, samples of lung parenchyma were submitted to immunohistochemical assessment. Intravenous administration of hMSC reduced the levels of nitrotyrosine in the ASTHMA-hMSC group compared to those in the ASTHMA-SAL group. In conclusion, therapeutic administration of hMSC had a beneficial effect on oxidative stress, reducing the levels of nitrotyrosine in lung tissues in a model of allergic asthma.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) research has demonstrated the potential of these cells to modulate lung inflammatory processes and tissue repair; however, the underlying mechanisms and treatment durability remain unknown. Here, we investigated the therapeutic potential of human bone marrow-derived MSCs in the inflammatory process and pulmonary remodeling of asthmatic BALB/c mice up to 14 d after transplantation. Our study used ovalbumin to induce allergic asthma in male BALB/c mice. MSCs were injected intratracheally in the asthma groups. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected, and cytology was performed to measure the total protein, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and proinflammatory (IL-5, IL-13, and IL-17A) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) interleukin (IL) levels. The lungs were removed for the histopathological evaluation. On day zero, the eosinophil and lymphochte percentages, total protein concentrations, and IL-13 and IL-17A levels in the BALF were significantly increased in the asthma group, proving the efficacy of the experimental model of allergic asthma. On day 7, the MSC-treated group exhibited significant reductions in the eosinophil, lymphocyte, total protein, H2O2, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-17A levels in the BALF, while the IL-10 levels were significantly increased. On day 14, the total cell numbers and lymphocyte, total protein, IL-13, and IL-17A levels in the BALF in the MSC-treated group were significantly decreased. A significant decrease in airway remodeling was observed on days 7 and 14 in almost all bronchioles, which showed reduced inflammatory infiltration, collagen deposition, muscle and epithelial thickening, and mucus production. These results demonstrate that treatment with a single injection of MSCs reduces the pathophysiological events occurring in an experimental model of allergic asthma by controlling the inflammatory process up to 14 d after transplantation.

Further studies should be performed to elucidate the role of PAF in the pathophysiology of IAD. Its presence in bronchoalveolar fluid of young athletic horses makes it a potential therapeutic target to be investigated.

RESUMO A avaliação científi ca do bem-estar tem sido importante para detectar animais não adaptados às condições

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