UC Davis

BACKGROUND: Phosphorylated neurofilament heavy, a marker of neuroaxonal damage, is increased in horses with equine neuroaxonal dystrophy. However, the temporal dynamics of this biomarker during the post-natal risk period are not understood. OBJECTIVE: To measure serum and cerebrospinal fluid phosphorylated neurofilament heavy concentrations in juvenile foals across the post-natal window of susceptibility for equine neuroaxonal dystrophy. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control in vivo experimental study. METHODS: Concentrations of phosphorylated neurofilament heavy were measured using frozen serum and cerebrospinal fluid collected from 13 foals raised in a vitamin E deficient environment from 1 to 6 months of age. Four of these foals were produced by equine neuroaxonal dystrophy-affected dams, developed clinical signs consistent with equine neuroaxonal dystrophy and had a diagnosis confirmed by histopathology. The remaining nine foals, produced by healthy mares, were vitamin E depleted and remained clinically healthy. An additional cohort of foals, produced by healthy mares, were supplemented with vitamin E (α-tocopherol; α-TOH) from birth and sampled similarly. RESULTS: Serum α-TOH concentrations were significantly higher in vitamin E supplemented healthy foals. Serum phosphorylated neurofilament heavy concentrations did not differ significantly between groups at any time point. Cerebrospinal fluid phosphorylated neurofilament heavy concentrations increased with age in healthy vitamin E depleted foals (p < 0.001); an effect that was not observed in healthy vitamin E supplemented foals. MAIN LIMITATIONS: A genetically susceptible cohort supplemented with vitamin E was not available for comparison. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that vitamin E depletion may elevate cerebrospinal fluid phosphorylated neurofilament heavy in otherwise healthy juvenile foals by 6 months of age. We highlight an important cofactor to consider when interpreting cerebrospinal fluid phosphorylated neurofilament heavy concentrations in juvenile horses.