title: Association of oxidative stress with motor neuron disease in horses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of oxidative stress in terms of antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation on the probability of motor neuron disease (MND) in horses.
  
  
  METHODS
  88 horses with MND (cases) and 49 controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected from all horses enrolled, and RBCs and plasma were harvested. Activity of the enzyme erythrocytic superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was determined in the RBCs. Plasma concentrations of α-tocopherols and β-carotenes and activity of glutathione peroxidase were also evaluated. Degree of lipid peroxidation was measured by determining plasma concentrations of lipid hydroperoxides. Differences were evaluated between horse groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cases had lower erythrocyte SOD1 activity than did controls, but the difference was not significant. On the other hand, plasma vitamin E concentrations differed significantly between groups, with the cases having lower concentrations. Neither plasma vitamin A concentration nor glutathione peroxidase activity differed between groups; however, cases had significantly higher concentrations of lipid hydroperoxides (18.53μM) than did controls (12.35μM).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Horses with MND differed from those without MND by having a lower plasma concentration of vitamin E and higher concentrations of lipid hydroperoxides. Results parallel the findings in humans with sporadic amyotrophic sclerosis and provide evidence supporting the involvement of oxidative stress in the 2 conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. hom1@cornell.edu
authors.forename: Hussni O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Divers
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Adil H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.forename: Maurice E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Lahunta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006736:Horses; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; C000606290:SOD1 protein, human; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1