title: Role of dietary antioxidants to protect against DNA damage in adult dogs.
abstract: We studied the effects of feeding an antioxidant blend of vitamins, minerals and carotenoids to a mixed adult dog population (n = 40, mean 4.4 +/- 1.85 y) for a 16-wk period. Compared to the control group of dogs (n = 20), the antioxidant (AOX)-supplemented group of dogs (n = 20) demonstrated significant increases in plasma levels of vitamin E and taurine by 4 wk of supplementation (P < 0.01) and total antioxidant activity (as measured by ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay) by 8 wk of supplementation (P < 0.05). Following 8 wk of supplementation, the AOX-supplemented dogs also showed significant reductions in both endogenous and exogenous DNA damage (P < 0.005) compared to that of the control dogs, as measured by the comet assay. Over an 8-wk rabies vaccination course that started at 8 wk supplementation, the AOX-supplemented dogs also demonstrated significantly higher vaccine-specific virus-neutralizing antibody levels at 2, 4 and 6 wk postvaccination (P < 0.05) and a tendency toward establishing a vaccine-specific antibody response quicker than did the control group of dogs. These findings in dogs suggest that antioxidant supplementation can achieve sustained increases in circulating levels of antioxidants that exert a protective effect by a decrease in DNA damage, leading to improved immunological performance. These findings also have implications in a wider context where free-radical damage has been associated with a variety of degenerative disorders and the aging process in general.
authors.affiliation: Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Leicestershire, UK. paul.heaton@eu.effem.com
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Heaton
authors.forename: Catrina F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ransley
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: Chris J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Charlton
authors.forename: Brigitte H E
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: E Jean
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rawlings
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004032:Diet; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000975:Antioxidants