Can orthobiologics outperform steroids in equine osteoarthritis treatment?

In Episode 11 of Sit. Stay. Learn., Dr. Adrienne Wright reviews the 2020 paper “Effects of Autologous Conditioned Serum, Autologous Protein Solution, and Triamcinolone on Inflammatory and Catabolic Gene Expression in Equine Cartilage and Synovial Explants Treated with IL-1β in Co-culture” and breaks down how ACS, APS, and triamcinolone compare in an inflamed joint model.

In this episode, she covers: • what autologous conditioned serum (ACS) and autologous protein solution (APS) are • how these orthobiologics compare to triamcinolone • what the study found about inflammatory gene expression • why PGE2 reduction matters in equine OA • and what this could mean for managing lameness and joint disease in horses

If you’re interested in equine sports medicine, orthobiologics, regenerative medicine, or practical veterinary research, this episode offers a quick and useful breakdown of the science.

Reach out to Dr. Adrienne Wright at adrienne@ardentanimalhealth.com with any questions, to continue the conversation, or to suggest a study you’d like her to review next.

Cancer affects far too many dogs, and better treatment options are urgently needed. In Episode 10 of Sit. Stay. Learn., Dr. Adrienne Wright reviews the paper “Autologous Cancer Vaccines: A Precision Immunotherapy Strategy for Veterinary Cancer Patients” and explains how autologous cancer vaccines may offer a more personalized way to fight cancer in dogs. This episode covers tumor antigens, neoantigens, checkpoint inhibitors, and why veterinary immunotherapy is an area to watch.

In this episode of Sit. Stay. Learn., we discuss a 2025 Frontiers in Pain Research perspective on outcome assessment in veterinary pain studies. The episode explores why pain measurement remains such a challenge in veterinary medicine, the role of owner assessments, gait analysis, activity monitoring, and biomarkers, and why better outcome measures are essential for advancing research and improving patient care.

Have a paper you’d like featured on a future episode? Send suggestions to adrienne@ardentanimalhealth.com.

In this episode of Sit. Stay. Learn, Dr. Adrienne Wright breaks down a recent JAVMA paper examining how centrifugation force and spin time change the final composition of canine PRP. We cover what the protocols did to platelet yield, leukocyte/RBC carryover, and key growth factors like PDGF and TGF-β1—plus the biggest takeaway: optimization data from one device doesn’t automatically translate across all PRP systems. Message of the day: know what’s in your syringe.

This episode reviews a 2023 Biomedicines editorial by Gupta, Maffulli, and Jain on why red blood cells should be minimized in platelet-rich plasma. The discussion explores what hemolysis is, how it occurs, and what current research suggests about the presence of RBCs in PRP preparations used for musculoskeletal applications.

Key points include how RBC breakdown products may contribute to inflammation, oxidative stress, synovial irritation, and potential cartilage damage — and why minimizing hemolysis may help preserve the intended therapeutic benefits of PRP. 📄 Referenced Editorial: “Red Blood Cells in Platelet-Rich Plasma: Avoid If at All Possible”

If you are interested in the full study, contact info@ardentanimalhealth.com. For questions or further discussion, feel free to reach out to adrienne@ardentanimalhealth.com. If your practice has experience managing hemolyzed PRP samples, your insights are welcome.

This week, we’re exploring a fascinating human pilot study with powerful takeaways for veterinary medicine. The research, “Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells for treating chronic kidney disease: A pilot study assessing safety and clinical feasibility” (Villanueva et al., 2019), examined how stem cells may support kidney function in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Results showed improved proteinuria and slower disease progression in most patients—without adverse effects. These findings mirror what’s been observed in veterinary cases using mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), where pets often show better energy, appetite, and stability even when lab results shift modestly. As CKD remains one of the most common conditions in older dogs and cats, this study highlights how regenerative therapies could play a larger role in managing long-term kidney health.

This week on Sit. Stay. Learn., I reviewed a 2022 study by He et al. in Frontiers in Veterinary Science that tested whether umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) could improve recovery after trochlear groove reconstruction (TGR) in dogs. Ten healthy poodles were divided into treatment and control groups, with UC-MSCs injected intra-articularly on days 0, 7, and 14. The treated dogs showed significantly lower white blood cell and neutrophil counts on days 7 and 21, indicating less inflammation, and recovered mobility about four days faster than controls. CT and histology revealed early cartilage regeneration and restored bone contour in the UC-MSC group, while controls still had cartilage gaps. Overall, UC-MSCs appeared to reduce inflammation, speed healing, and improve joint repair without adverse effects. Since these were donor (allogeneic) cells, I’d like to see future work confirm long-term safety—one reason I often favor autologous options like Ardent’s SVF therapy. If you’ve used PRP or cell therapy in a TGR case, I’d love to hear your results at adrienne@ardentanimalhealth.com or www.ardentanimalhealth.com.

Today’s Paper: Adipose-Derived MSCs for Chronic Kidney Disease

This week, I’m switching gears. Most of the studies I cover are animal-focused, but this time we’re looking at a human pilot study that gives us insights we can bring right back into veterinary medicine.

Paper: “Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells for treating chronic kidney disease: A pilot study assessing safety and clinical feasibility.”

Authors: Villanueva, González, Lorca, Tapia, López G, Strodthoff, Fajre, Carreño, Valjalo, Vergara, Lecanda, Bartolucci, Figueroa, Khoury. Journal/Year: Kidney Research and Clinical Practice, 2019.

Why This Matters

CKD is progressive, permanent, and expensive—on both the human and veterinary sides. Prevalence snapshots: ~1% of dogs overall (≈10% in seniors); ~3% of cats overall (up to 50% after age 15). Breeds differ, and dogs often fare worse. Standard care slows decline but doesn’t stop it. MSCs are attractive for their anti-inflammatory, trophic, and immune-modulating effects.

At Ardent, we’ve seen more than a decade of cat cases where MSCs improve appetite, weight stability, and energy—even when bloodwork isn’t a fireworks show.

Study Design

• Participants: 7 enrolled; 1 excluded for poor cell expansion → 6 treated (3 men, 3 women; mean age 42). Four had hypertension. Mean serum creatinine 2.22 mg/dL.
• Intervention: Single IV infusion of autologous adipose-derived MSCs at 1M cells/kg, in 120 mL LRS over 30–40 min. One patient received ~59% of target dose.
• Control approach: Each patient served as their own control (12 months pre-treatment vs. 12 months post-treatment). Standard meds, BP control, and protein restriction continued.

Results

• Safety: No treatment-related adverse events. Coagulation, liver, and metabolic labs stayed stable.
• Proteinuria: Worsened during the control period; decreased in nearly all patients after MSC therapy. Even the renal-dysplasia case slowed its decline compared with pre-treatment.
• Renal function: eGFR decline overall wasn’t statistically significant, but 5/6 patients had plasma creatinine reductions (7.5%–49%). Lower-inflammation phenotypes seemed to stabilize better—hinting MSC benefits aren’t just anti-inflammatory window dressing.

Why It’s Exciting (and useful for vets)

• Feasibility: One IV dose, well tolerated. No drama.
• Meaningful signal: Broad proteinuria improvement, with several creatinine drops, mirrors what we see in cats—quality-of-life wins even when lab numbers are shy.
• Right cell source: Adipose-derived MSCs are less invasive to harvest and yield more cells than bone marrow—important since bone-marrow MSCs can be defective in some CKD patients. Practical for both human and veterinary settings.

A single IV infusion of autologous adipose-derived MSCs in CKD was safe, feasible, and showed encouraging proteinuria reductions with some creatinine improvements.

For veterinary medicine, it reinforces what many of us already see: stem cell therapy can provide meaningful improvements, especially in quality of life, even when blood values don’t tell the full story. What do you think—could MSCs reshape how we approach CKD in pets? You can read the full study and email me at adrienne@ardentanimalhealth.com