TD-NMR - Based Metabolic Phenotyping of Osteochondritis Dissecans in Horse Blood Serum

Abstract

Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a developmental condition that affects the cartilage and bone in the joints of horses and oftentimes results in arthritis and/or permanent lameness. OCD represents a major issue in the equine industry, incurring significant annual economic losses in competitive racing, veterinary costs, etc., but its characteristic metabolites and underlying biological mechanisms are poorly understood. Time-Domain (TD) NMR, a \(^{1}\)H spectroscopic technique involving the measurement of longitudinal (T\(_{1}\)) and transverse (T\(_{2}\)) nuclear spin relaxation values, was utilized here alongside an inverse Laplace transform calculation to generate unique T\(_{2}\) value distributions for two groups of 60 total horse blood serum samples. Spectral processing and visualization were performed for Group A samples to yield evidence of an opposing, gender-dependent metabolic response to OCD in horses. Visualization and preliminary multivariate statistical analysis were also performed for Group B to find evidence of gender clustering of samples across the cohort. This was another indication that gender plays a significant role in the metabolic response of horses to OCD. Future studies that further our understanding of the metabolic response of the OCD condition would allow for the identification and development of effective treatment methods and biomarkers for early-stage diagnosis, even before the initial presentation of clinical symptoms.