Post-doc student College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio, United States
Abstract:
Background: It was recently shown in humans and mice that there is an active regulatory system between bone (osteocalcin; OCN) and the endocrine pancreas (insulin) where OCN promotes insulin secretion and insulin stimulates osteoblast function and OCN secretion. This system (bone-pancreas loop) appears to be important in energy homeostasis (role of the skeleton on glucose metabolism). There is no information on the bone-pancreas loop in veterinary or equine medicine.
Objectives: To investigate the bone-pancreas loop in hospitalized foals by measuring serum OCN, insulin and incretins (glucagon-like peptide-1 [GLP-1] and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide [GIP]) and determine their association with disease severity and non-survival.
Methods: Prospective, multicenter. 84 newborn foals ≤ 3 days old (70 hospitalized; 14 healthy). Serum OCN and insulin, and plasma GLP-1 and GIP concentrations were measured over 72 hours. Data analysis was carried out using non-parametric methods and univariate logistic regression.
Results: Hospitalized foals had decreased OCN, insulin and GIP, but higher GLP-1 concentrations compared to healthy ones (P < 0.05). Serum OCN concentrations were positively correlated with insulin in hospitalized foals (r = 0.5; P < 0.05). Non-surviving foals had lower OCN and insulin, but elevated GlP-1 concentrations than survivors (P < 0.05). Hospitalized foals with OCN concentrations < 8.5 ng/mL were more likely to die (OR= 5.4; P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Decreased blood OCN, insulin and GIP concentrations together with elevated GLP-1 concentrations could reflect a disruption of systemic inflammation on the bone/pancreas loop to maintain energy homeostasis and osteoblast function in hospitalized foals.
