title: Modifications of serum and cellular parameters in trotters after a race. Macrophage migration inhibitory activity reduction and serum beta-glucan elevation.
abstract: Trotters are exposed to a chronic prolonged stress, such as daily training and frequent races during their active lifespans. There is evidence that trotters undergo very often lethal lung infections after a race, and therefore, is likely that modifications of certain physiologic cellular parameters could account for the increased susceptibility to microbial diseases. Here, we demonstrate that in 7 trotters after a race either serum values (e.g., glycaemia, triglycerides, transaminases, gamma-glutamyltransferase, cholinesterase, amylase, alkaline phosphatase, total proteins, serum albumin, sodium, blood urea nitrogen, lactic dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, and creatinine) or hematological parameters (red blood cell count, hemoglobin, lymphocyte and monocyte count) were increased. At the same time, in the same animals after a race, macrophage migration inhibitory factor activity was depressed, thus indicating an impaired T-lymphocyte response. Finally, increased levels of circulating beta-glucans in some horses, after a race, may suggest a reduced clearance of fungal cell wall components. Taken together, these findings indicate a condition of multiple organ dysfunction, such as the liver, the kidney, the pancreas, and skeletal muscles, as well as a reduced cell-mediated immune response in trotters, after a race.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. l.passantino@veterinaria.uniba.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Passantino
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Amati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cianciotta
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passantino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perillo
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ribaud
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venezia
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jirillo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D004798:Enzymes; D008055:Lipids; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D047071:beta-Glucans; D003404:Creatinine