Serum lipid peroxide and alpha-tocopherol concentrations and superoxide dismutase activity in captive bottle-nosed dolphins.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate serum lipid peroxide (LPO) and alpha-tocopherol concentrations and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in captive bottle-nosed dolphins and to evaluate effects of storage on production of LPO in various marine fish.


METHODS
16 bottle-nosed dolphins.


METHODS
8 dolphins (group A) were fed chub mackerel and herring (high fat) and arabesque greenling and banded blue-sprat (low fat); the other 8 dolphins (group B) were fed chub mackerel and Pacific saury (high fat) and shishamo smelt and Japanese horse mackerel (low fat). Each group had been on these respective diets for 3 years. Serum LPO and alpha-tocopherol concentrations, serum SOD activity, and superoxide production by neutrophils were measured. All types of marine fish were frozen at -20 C for 6 months, and concentrations of LPO were measured at various time points.


RESULTS
Serum LPO concentrations in group-A dolphins were significantly higher than those in group B. Serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations and SOD activity in group A were significantly lower than those in group B. A significant negative correlation was found between serum LPO and alpha-tocopherol concentrations in all 16 dolphins. The LPO concentrations in mackerel and herring fed to group-A dolphins were higher than those of other fish. Concentrations of LPO in herring stored for 3 and 6 months at -20 C were higher than those in herring before freezing and in herring stored for 1 month.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum LPO and alpha-tocopherol concentrations in captive bottle-nosed dolphins may be strongly influenced by high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acid and LPO found in marine fatty fishes. High concentrations of serum LPO, as found in group-A dolphins, were associated with decreased antioxidative states. Monitoring of serum LPO and alpha-tocopherol concentrations and serum SOD activity may be useful for the management of captive marine mammals.
Kasamatsu
M
M
Department of Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido, Japan.
Tsunokawa
M
M
Taki
M
M
Higuchi
H
H
Nagahata
H
H
D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D004289:Dolphins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood*
D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D013481:Superoxides; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol