ACTIVATION OF EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASES IN EQUINE LAMINITIS

Samples of connective tissue obtained from the hoof of six laminitic a nd eight non-laminitic adult horses were analysed zymographically to i nvestigate whether connective tissue matrix metalloproteinases are act ivated or induced during laminitis, The activity of matrix metalloprot einases was substantially greater in the tissues from the laminitic ho rses than in the tissues from the non-laminitic horses. A comparison o f the collagenolytic activity in the laminitic and control tissues sho wed that collagenolytic activities corresponding to the 92 kDa (P<0.00 1), 72 kDa (P<0.01) and 66 kDa (P<0.01) bands were induced in the lami nitic tissues.