Mitochondria are organelles found in the cells of horses that are responsible for producing energy through the process of oxidative phosphorylation. They play a role in various cellular functions, including energy metabolism, regulation of the cell cycle, and apoptosis. Mitochondria contain their own DNA, which is maternally inherited and can provide insights into genetic lineage and population studies in equines. Research on equine mitochondria encompasses topics such as mitochondrial function, genetic variation, and their implications for health and performance. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the structure, function, and genetic aspects of mitochondria in horses.
Traversa D, Kuzmina T, Kharchenko VA, Iorio R, Klei TR, Otranto D.This study investigated the genetic variability within Cylicocyclus nassatus (Nematoda, Strongylida, Cyathostominae) collected from different domestic and wild hosts (i.e. horse, donkey, Przewalskii horse, tarpan and Turkmen kulan) and localities in Europe and/or USA. The ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene were PCR-amplified and sequences characterized from seventy individual parasitic specimens. While ITS2 displayed 0-0.6% variation rate among all individual adult specimens of C. nassatus examined, 22 different seque...
Gehlen H, Oey L, Rohn K, Bilzer T, Stadler P.Chronic pulmonary diseases (recurrent airway obstruction [RAO]) have been reported to alter skeletal muscle cells in humans. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a potential relationship between pulmonary and muscle variables in horses with a clinical diagnosis of RAO. Muscle biopsies from healthy horses and from horses with RAO were investigated and the relationship between the severity of lung disease and the degree of muscular changes was determined. Objective: We hypothesized that chronic pulmonary disease can lead to changes of the skeletal muscle in horses. Methods: Fifteen healthy ...
Brum AM, Sabeur K, Ball BA.The objective was to evaluate apoptotic markers in ejaculated equine spermatozoa after separation by density-gradient centrifugation and after cryopreservation. Subpopulations of percoll-separated equine spermatozoa differed (P<0.05) in the percentage of live, caspase-activated spermatozoa (2.9+/-0.7% vs 14.2+/-6.4%; mean+/-S.E.M.), low mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP; 6.8+/-1.1 vs 23.8+/-3.7), altered plasma membrane permeability (1.3+/-0.2 vs 3.0+/-0.5), DNA fragmentation (2.0+/-1.3 vs 14.3+/-3.6), total motility (81.8+/-3.3 vs 35.1+/-5.4), and progressive motility (66.3+/-4.3 vs 24...
Westermann CM, Dorland L, Votion DM, de Sain-van der Velden MG, Wijnberg ID, Wanders RJ, Spliet WG, Testerink N, Berger R, Ruiter JP, van der Kolk JH.The aim of the current study was to assess lipid metabolism in horses with atypical myopathy. Urine samples from 10 cases were subjected to analysis of organic acids, glycine conjugates, and acylcarnitines revealing increased mean excretion of lactic acid, ethylmalonic acid, 2-methylsuccinic acid, butyrylglycine, (iso)valerylglycine, hexanoylglycine, free carnitine, C2-, C3-, C4-, C5-, C6-, C8-, C8:1-, C10:1-, and C10:2-carnitine as compared with 15 control horses (12 healthy and three with acute myopathy due to other causes). Analysis of plasma revealed similar results for these predominantly...
Aleman M.Muscle disorders are a common cause of disability in horses. For many years, clinical manifestations such as muscle pain, exercise intolerance, weakness, and stiffness were believed to be caused by a single syndrome. However, in the past years a broad spectrum of muscle disorders have been recognized including glycogen and polysaccharide storage myopathies, malignant hyperthermia, mitochondrial myopathy, hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and others. For some, a specific mutation has been identified. Recognition of the myopathic clinical phenotype and thorough clinical, electrodiagnostic, and his...
Meng Q, Li S, Liu L, Xu J, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Shao Y.Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV), like other lentiviruses, has a transmembrane glycoprotein with an unusually long cytoplasmic tail (CT). Viral envelope (Env) proteins having CT truncations just downstream the putative membrane-spanning domain (PMSD) are assumed to exist among all wild-type budded virions, and also in some cell-adapted strains. To determine whether CT-truncated Env proteins can cause particularly deleterious effects on the Env expressing cells and/or their neighboring cells, plasmids encoding codon-optimized env gene including full-length (pE863) or CT-truncated (pE686* a...
Ortega-Ferrusola C, Sotillo-Galán Y, Varela-Fernández E, Gallardo-Bolaños JM, Muriel A, González-Fernández L, Tapia JA, Peña FJ.The kinematics of the appearance of apoptotic markers was studied by flow cytometry and immunoblot assays in equine spermatozoa subjected to freezing and thawing. Caspase activity, low mitochondrial membrane potential, and increases in sperm membrane permeability were observed in all of the phases of the cryopreservation procedure. Freezing and thawing caused an increase in membrane permeability and changes in the pattern of caspase activity; decreases in mitochondrial membrane potential were observed after centrifugation and cooling to 4 degrees C and after freezing and thawing. It is propose...
Cassart D, Fett T, Sarlet M, Baise E, Coignoul F, Desmecht D.The morphopathological picture of a subset of equine myopathies is compatible with a primary mitochondrial disease, but functional confirmation in vivo is still pending. The cationic dye JC-1 exhibits potential-dependent accumulation in mitochondria that is detectable by a fluorescence shift from green to orange. As a consequence, mitochondrial membrane potential can be optically measured by the orange/green fluorescence intensity ratio. A flow cytometric standardized analytic procedure of the mitochondrial function of equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells is proposed along with a critical...
Xu S, Luosang J, Hua S, He J, Ciren A, Wang W, Tong X, Liang Y, Wang J, Zheng X.To investigate genetic mechanisms of high altitude adaptations of animals living in the Tibetan Plateau, three mitochondrial genomes (mt-genome) of Tibetan horses living in Naqu (4,500 m) of Tibetan, Zhongdian (3,300 m) and Deqin (3,100 m) of Yunnan province were sequenced. The structures and lengths of these three mt-genomes are similar to the Cheju horse, which is related to Tibetan horses, but little shorter than the Swedish horse. The pair-wise identity of these three horses on nucleotide level is more than 99.3%. When the gene encoding the mitochondrial protein of Tibetan horses was analy...
Schober D, Aurich C, Nohl H, Gille L.Cryopreservation of spermatozoa is of essential importance for artificial insemination and breeding programs in horses. Besides other factors, spermatozoal motility depends on mitochondrial energy metabolism. Based on changes of single mitochondrial functions it has been suggested that mitochondrial damage during cryopreservation could be a major reason for diminished post thaw semen quality. However, it is still unclear to which extent this influences the whole bioenergetic performance of mitochondria and whether this plays a role during routine cryopreservation procedures. Therefore, it was ...
Huser CA, Davies ME.Chondrocyte apoptosis is an important factor in the progression of osteoarthritis. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms involved upstream of caspase 9 activation and, in particular, calcium signaling and mitochondrial depolarization. Methods: Articular cartilage explants obtained from healthy horses were subjected to a single impact load (500-gm weight dropped from a height of 50 mm) and cultured in vitro for up to 48 hours. Chondrocyte death was quantified by the TUNEL method. Release of proteoglycans was determined by the dimethylmethylene blue assay. Weight change was measured, and ...
Eckert RE, Neuder LE, Bell JL, Trujillo JC, Jones SL.The goal of this study was to define the role for p38 mitogen-activated kinase (MAPK) in the signaling mechanism regulating pro-inflammatory cyclooxygenase (COX) gene expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated equine leukocytes for the purposes of identifying novel targets for anti-inflammatory therapy in endotoxemic horses. The p38 MAPK has been shown to positively regulate inflammatory gene expression in human leukocytes and can be activated by a variety of stimuli including LPS, TNF-alpha, and IL-1. Activation-associated phosphorylated p38 MAPK has been implicated in the up-regulation...
Aberle KS, Hamann H, Drögemüller C, Distl O.We analysed a 610-bp mitochondrial (mt)DNA D-loop fragment in a sample of German draught horse breeds and compared the polymorphic sites with sequences from Arabian, Hanoverian, Exmoor, Icelandic, Sorraia and Przewalski's Horses as well as with Suffolk, Shire and Belgian horses. In a total of 65 horses, 70 polymorphic sites representing 47 haplotypes were observed. The average percentage of polymorphic sites was 11.5% for the mtDNA fragment analysed. In the nine different draught horse breeds including South German, Mecklenburg, Saxon Thuringa coldblood, Rhenisch German, Schleswig Draught Hors...
Torner H, Alm H, Kanitz W, Goellnitz K, Becker F, Poehland R, Bruessow KP, Tuchscherer A.The aim of this investigation was to examine the chromatin configuration of the nucleus, pattern of mitochondrial aggregation and mitochondrial activity in parallel studies in the same horse oocytes. Horse oocytes recovered by ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration in vivo were classified according to two main initial cumulus morphologies as having compact or expanded cumulus. The percentage of oocytes with a diplotene meiotic configuration at the time of recovery from the follicles was highest in compact oocytes. Oocytes with expanded cumulus layers at the time of recovery matured more rapidly...
Schneider N, Mouithys-Mickalad A, Lejeune JP, Duyckaerts C, Sluse F, Deby-Dupont G, Serteyn D.We investigated the oxygen (O(2)) uptake of equine articular chondrocytes to assess their reactions to anoxia/re-oxygenation. They were cultured under 5% or 21% gas phase O(2) and at glucose concentrations of 0, 1.0 or 4.5g/L in the culture medium (n=3). Afterwards, the O(2) consumption rate of the chondrocytes was monitored (oxymetry) before and after an anoxia period of 25min. The glucose consumption and lactate release were measured at the end of the re-oxygenation period. The chondrocytes showed a minimal O(2) consumption rate, which was hardly changed by anoxia. Independently from the O(2...
Milner PI, Wilkins RJ, Gibson JS.To examine the effect of O(2) and the role, and source, of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on pH regulation in articular chondrocytes. Methods: Cartilage from equine metacarpo/tarsophalangeal joints was digested (collagenase) to isolate chondrocytes and loaded with 2',7'-bis-2-(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxylfluorescein, a pH-sensitive fluorophore. O(2) tension was maintained using Eschweiler tonometers and a Wosthoff gas mixer. Cells were exposed to agents which alter ROS levels, mitochondrial inhibitors and/or inhibitors of protein phosphorylation. ROS levels were determined by dichlorofluorescein...
Kakoi H, Tozaki T, Gawahara H.To assess the genetic diversity of Japanese native horse populations, we examined seven such populations using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite analyses. Four reference populations of Mongolian horses and European breeds were employed as other equids. In the mtDNA analysis, the control region (D-loop) of 411 bp was sequenced, and 12 haplotypes with 33 variable sites were identified in the Japanese native horses. The phylogenetic tree constructed by haplogrouping and using worldwide geographic references indicated that the haplotypes of the Japanese native horses were derived from s...
Gorgoglione V, Laraspata D, La Piana G, Marzulli D, Lofrumento NE.The data reported are fully consistent with the well-known observation that exogenous cytochrome c (cyto-c) molecules do not permeate through the outer membrane of mitochondria (MOM) incubated in isotonic medium (250 mM sucrose). Cyto-c is unable to accept electrons from the sulfite/cyto-c oxido-reductase (Sox) present in the intermembrane space, unless mitochondria are solubilized. Mitochondria incubated in a very high hypotonic medium (25 mM sucrose), in contrast to any expectation, continue to be not permeable to added cyto-c even if Sox and adenylate kinase are released into the medium. Th...
Cassart D, Baise E, Cherel Y, Delguste C, Antoine N, Votion D, Amory H, Rollin F, Linden A, Coignoul F, Desmecht D.There is a lack of well documented studies about muscular lesions in equine atypical myopathy (EAM). Objective: To characterise morphopathological changes of striated muscles and myocardium, to progress understanding of this disease. Methods: Thirty-two horses age 0.5-7 years kept on pasture were referred for a sudden ataxia/myoglobinuria syndrome. Clinical examination (stiffness, muscle pain, muscle fasciculations, abnormal gait, recumbency, myoglobinuria, tachycardia, sweating) and plasma CPK, LDH and AST levels were consistent with extensive myonecrosis and, together with anamnestic data, w...
Luís C, Bastos-Silveira C, Costa-Ferreira J, Cothran EG, Oom MM.A common female founder individual of the Portuguese horse breeds Sorraia and Lusitano was found while conducting research on the variation of the Lusitano mitochondrial DNA lineages in relation to studbook information. We obtained 416-bp control region sequences from 16 descendents of a female Sorraia founder (Pomba) still represented in the living population of the Lusitano, according to the most recent edition of this breed's studbook. The same haplotype was found for all analysed samples and belongs to the haplogroup described by several authors as having predominantly Iberian, South Ameri...
Kuehn R, Kaczensky P, Lkhagvasuren D, Pietsch S, Walzer C.Recent studies suggest that Asiatic wild asses (Equus hemionus) are being increasingly poached in a commercial fashion. Part of the meat is believed to reach the meat markets in the capital Ulaanbaatar. To test this hypothesis, we collected 500 meat samples between February and May 2006. To differentiate between domestic horse (Equus caballus) and wild ass meat, we developed a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We amplified and sequenced a cytochrome b fragment (335 bp) and carried out a multialignment of the generated sequences ...
Iwańczyk E, Juras R, Cholewiński G, Cothran EG.In this study a wide range of genetic markers (12 microsatellites, 7 blood-group loci, 10 blood-protein loci) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were used to assess genetic diversity in Polish Heavy horses. Three random samples were sequenced for 421 bp of the mitochondrial D-loop region, but no clear phylogenetic patterns were seen in mtDNA variation. Both heterozygosity and diversity levels are fairly high in Polish Heavy horses. In phylogenetic analysis the draught horses form a distinct cluster that pairs with the true pony breeds. Within this 'cold-blooded' group, the Polish Heavy Horse cluste...
Milner PI, Fairfax TP, Browning JA, Wilkins RJ, Gibson JS.To determine the effects of varying O(2) on pH homeostasis, based on the hypothesis that the function of articular chondrocytes is best understood at realistic O(2) tensions. Methods: Cartilage from equine metacarpophalangeal/tarsophalangeal joints was digested with collagenase to isolate chondrocytes, and then loaded with the pH-sensitive fluorophore 2',7'-bis-2-(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxylfluorescein. The radioisotope(22)Na(+) was used to determine the kinetics of Na(+)/H(+) exchange (NHE) and the activity of the Na(+)/K(+) pump, and ATP levels were assessed with luciferin assays. Levels of ...
McGahern AM, Edwards CJ, Bower MA, Heffernan A, Park SD, Brophy PO, Bradley DG, MacHugh DE, Hill EW.Equine mitochondrial DNA sequence variation was investigated in three indigenous Irish horse populations (Irish Draught Horse, Kerry Bog Pony and Connemara Pony) and, for context, in 69 other horse populations. There was no evidence of Irish Draught Horse or Connemara Pony sequence clustering, although the majority of Irish Draught Horse sequences (47%) were assigned to haplogroup D. Conversely, 31% of the Kerry Bog Pony sequences were assigned to the rare haplogroup E. In addition to the extant population analyses, ancient DNA sequences were generated from three out of four Irish archaeologic...
McGahern A, Bower MA, Edwards CJ, Brophy PO, Sulimova G, Zakharov I, Vizuete-Forster M, Levine M, Li S, MacHugh DE, Hill EW.Equine mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) phylogeny reconstruction reveals a complex pattern of variation unlike that seen in other large domesticates. It is likely that this pattern reflects a process of multiple and repeated, although not necessarily independent, domestication events. Until now, no clear geographic affiliation of clades has been apparent. In this study, amova analyses have revealed a significant non-random distribution of the diversity among equine populations when seven newly sequenced Eurasian populations were examined in the context of previously published sequences. The associati...
Li JL, Shi YF, Bu RQ, Mang L.Restriction endonucleases, namely BamH I, Taq I, Hae III, Rsa I and Hinc II, were used to analyze the polymorphism of partial mtDNA Cytb gene sequences from 256 horses 6 types (Thoroughbred, Sanhe, Wuzhumuqin, Xinihe, Wushen and Pony) including the imported breed, cultivated breed and local breed. The products of endonuclease digestion were run on 8% non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and detected by silver staining. Results indicated BamH I and Taq I polymorphism. In all 7 restriction patterns were defected that could be sorted into 3 haplotypes, of which haplotypes I and III w...
Dovc P, Kavar T, Sölkner H, Achmann R.The development and a brief history of the Lipizzan horse breed are reviewed. The contribution of several breeds, some of them already extinct, to the development of the Lipizzan horse, gives it a special status representing an important gene pool. This well-documented breed is a part of the common European natural and cultural heritage. Breeding practices establishing stallion and mare family lines as well as availability of pedigrees are described. Molecular analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite data allowed us to analyse the structure of the Lipizzan population, to estima...
Paciello O, Pasolini MP, Navas L, Russo V, Papparella S.Central core disease is a nonprogressive or slowly progressive congenital myopathy with a variable degree of hypotonia and axial and proximal muscle weakness that is histologically characterized by areas devoid of oxidative enzyme activity, resulting from an absence or low numbers of mitochondria in these regions (central core). A 10-month-old, male, pony foal was examined because of stiff gait, marked contractures of the distal portion of the limbs, flexion deformities of the hooves, and moderate hypotonia that had been present from birth. The foal had increased creatine kinase (282 U/liter; ...
Hall JA, Hoyt D, Zuver C, Skinner MM, Schlipf JW.The criteria used to diagnose recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) in affected horses include demonstration of reversible lower airway obstruction and greater than 25% neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Additional objective laboratory tests are needed to improve diagnostic accuracy and to monitor response to treatment. The goal of this study was to determine if neutrophil chemoattractant activity of BALF could be measured by using a previously described, rapid, multiwell colorimetric assay for chemotaxis. In this assay, neutrophils that have migrated through a membrane filter ar...
Rodríguez-Roldán V, García-Heredia JM, Navarro JA, Hervás M, De la Cerda B, Molina-Heredia FP, De la Rosa MA.Two synthetic genes coding for human and Arabidopsis cytochrome c, respectively, have been designed and constructed, and the recombinant proteins have been over-expressed in Escherichia coli cells. Thus a comparative analysis of the two heme proteins, including horse cytochrome c as a reference, has been performed. In addition to their physico-chemical properties, the redox behavior of the three proteins has been analyzed by following the kinetics of both their reduction by flavin semiquinones (lumiflavin, riboflavin, and FMN) and oxidation by cytochrome c oxidase. The resulting data indicate ...
Papas M, Catalan J, Bonilla-Correal S, Gacem S, Miró J, Yeste M.The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of donkey spermatozoa to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide, and to determine whether the presence of seminal plasma modulates the sperm response to that stress. Nine ejaculates were collected, extended in skim milk extender and split into two aliquots. Seminal plasma was removed from the first but not second aliquot. Samples were subsequently split into four aliquots supplemented with different concentrations of commercial hydrogen peroxide (0, 100 and 250µM and 50mM). Aliquots were incubated at 37°C under aerobic conditions and ...
Monteiro RA, Cunha RM, Guerra MMP, de Almeida VM, Peña-Alfaro CE, Silva SV.The aim of this study was to test equine semen cryopreservation techniques for the conservation of donkey germplasm. Ejaculates of three male donkeys were used (n = 18; six ejaculates per donkey; six repetitions), collected by the artificial vagina method. To remove the seminal plasma, the ejaculates were split and submitted to filtration or centrifugation methods. To assess the freezing method, each fraction was submitted to the automated system or the conventional system, and groups were formed: automated centrifuge, automated filtrate, conventional centrifuge and conventional filtrate. Af...
Khrabrova LA, Blohina NV, Bazaron BZ, Khamiruev TN.The Zabaikalskaya horse is an indigenous breed of horses from Siberia with diverse use. It is characterized by endurance and good adaptability to year-round herd maintenance in the harsh conditions of the Baikal steppes. To determine the genetic characteristics of the maternal lineage of the Zabaikalskaya horse breed based on mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms, we collected hair samples from 31 horses belonging to breeding farms in the Trans-Baikal Territory. Analysis of the 530 bp sequence of the mtDNA D-loop was performed using the maximum composite likelihood (MCL) model in combination with bo...
Chen J, Gollnick PD.Horses were subjected to treadmill running at 65% (submaximal) or 100% (maximal) VO2,max to examine the effects of exercise on subcellular distribution of hexokinase (HK) and on mitochondrial respiration. It is hypothesized that the fraction of HK bound to mitochondria will be reduced due to an elevation of glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P) concentration in the exercising muscle and that such release of HK from mitochondria will depress oxidative phosphorylation. Changes in muscle G-6-P concentration, pH, subcellular HK distribution, mitochondrial respiration and other metabolites were determined in...
Henry ML, Wesolowski LT, Pagan JD, Simons JL, Valberg SJ, White-Springer SH.Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential component of the mitochondrial electron transfer system and a potent antioxidant. The impact of CoQ10 supplementation on mitochondrial capacities and the muscle proteome is largely unknown. This study determined the effect of CoQ10 supplementation on muscle CoQ10 concentrations, antioxidant balance, the proteome, and mitochondrial respiratory capacities. In a randomized cross-over design, six Thoroughbred horses received 1600 mg/d CoQ10 or no supplement (control) for 30-d periods separated by a 60-d washout. Muscle samples were taken at the end of each peri...
Ulvik RJ, Romslo I, Roland F, Crichton RR.Mitochondria mobilize iron from ferritin by a mechanism that depends on external FMN. With rat liver mitochondria, the rate of mobilization of iron is higher from rat liver ferritin than from horse spleen ferritin. With horse liver mitochondria, the rate of iron mobilization is higher from horse spleen ferritin than from rat liver ferritin. The results are explained by a higher affinity between mitochondria and ferritins of the same species. The mobilization of iron increases with the iron content of the ferritin and then levels off. A maximum is reached with ferritins containing about 1 200 i...
Filho JS, Corcini CD, Santos FCC, Anciuti AN, Gatti NLS, Anastacio E, Mielke R, Nogueira CEW, Curcio BR, Varela AS. BACKGROUND: Supplementation of sperm diluents to reduce the damage caused by the freeze-thaw cycle is broadly used in equine semen cryopreservation. Objective: The present study aimed at determining the most appropriate quercetin supplementation in equine freezing extender. Methods: Quercetin at four different concentrations (0.25, 0.5, 0.75 or 1 mM) was added in the sperm freezing diluent before the freeze-thaw cycle. The spermatozoa population was analyzed by flow cytometry and a statistical analysis was conducted to detect significant differences between control and treated samples. R...
Grulke S, Deby-Dupont G, Cassart D, Gangl M, Caudron I, Lamy M, Serteyn D.In cases of equine acute abdominal disease, where pancreatic damage is suspected, pancreatic damage can be assessed by measuring increased trypsin activity in the plasma of horses suffering intestinal obstruction and severe shock. The pancreas is particularly vulnerable to splanchnic hypoperfusion because it is a highly active tissue. In this study, 10 horses undergoing abdominal surgery for intestinal obstruction were assayed for trypsin activity on admission and, because of extensive intestinal lesions that were not amenable to surgery, euthanasia was selected; the pancreas was removed befor...
Medica AJ, Gibb Z, Sheridan A, Harrison N, Aitken RJ.MTT is a commonly used cell vitality probe, due to its ability to form insoluble formazan deposits at cellular locations of intense oxidoreductase activity. Although this response is considered a reflection of mitochondrial redox activity, extra-mitochondrial sites of MTT reduction have been recognized within the spermatozoa of several mammalian species. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the major sites and causative mechanisms of MTT reduction in stallion spermatozoa. Our results show that stallion spermatozoa displayed substantial mitochondrial formazan deposition, as well as...
Machmoum M, Badaoui B, Petit D, Germot A, El Alaoui MA, Boujenane I, Piro M.Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships within the Arabian show horse populations are of particular interest to breeders worldwide. Using the complete mitochondrial DNA D-loop sequence (916 pb), this study aimed (i) to understand the genetic relationship between three populations, the Desert-Bred (DB), a subset of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain (BAH), the Straight Egyptian (EG) and the Polish bloodline (PL), and (ii) to assess the accuracy of the traditional strain classification system based on maternal lines, as stated by the Bedouin cultur...
Talluri TR, Kumaresan A, Paul N, Sinha MK, Ebenezer Samuel King JP, Elango K, Sharma A, Raval K, Legha RA, Pal Y.Seminal plasma proteins and pathways associated with sperm motility have not been elucidated in stallions. Therefore, in the current study, using the high throughput LC/MS-MS approach, we profiled stallion seminal plasma proteins and identified the proteins and pathways associated with sperm motility. Seminal plasma from six stallions producing semen with contrasting sperm motility ( = 3 each high-and low-motile group) was utilized for proteomic analysis. We identified a total of 1687 proteins in stallion seminal plasma, of which 1627 and 1496 proteins were expressed in high- (HM) and low-...
Kumar P, Timoney JF.The tubal tonsil of the horse surrounds the pharyngeal opening of the eustachian tube and is lined by pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium interspersed with areas of follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) heavily infiltrated by lymphocytes but devoid of goblet and ciliated cells. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed microvillous cells and cells with features characteristic of M cells such as reduced microvilli or depressed bare surface, more numerous mitochondria, small vesicles and lysosomes, as well as vimentin filaments and epitopes specific for GS 1-B4 as previousl...
Maniego J, Pesko B, Habershon-Butcher J, Hincks P, Taylor P, Tozaki T, Ohnuma A, Stewart G, Proudman C, Ryder E.Gene editing and subsequent cloning techniques offer great potential not only in genetic disease correction in domestic animals but also in livestock production by enhancement of desirable traits. The existence of the technology, however, leaves it open to potential misuse in performance-led sports such as horseracing and other equestrian events. Recent advances in equine gene editing, regarding the generation of gene-edited embryos using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and somatic cell nuclear transfer, have highlighted the need to develop tools to detect potential prohibited use of the technology. On...
Marycz K, Pielok A, Kornicka-Garbowska K.Laminitis is a life threating, extremely painful and frequently recurrent disease of horses which affects hoof structure. It results from the disruption of blood flow to the laminae, contributing to laminitis and in severe separation of bone from the hoof capsule. Still, the pathophysiology of the disease remains unclear, mainly due to its complexity. In the light of the presented data, in the extremally difficult process of tissue structure restoration after disruption, a novel type of progenitor cells may be involved. Herein, we isolated and performed the initial characterization of stem pro...
Ferreira JC, Meira C, Papa FO, Landin e Alvarenga FC, Alvarenga MA, Buratini J.Six or 7-day-old equine embryos were divided into 4 groups; Group 1, n = 15, Day 7 embryos destined for immediate transfer; Group 2, n = 15, Day 6 embryos destined for deep-freezing with glycerol plus sucrose as cryoprotectant; Group 3, n = 10, Day 6 embryos destined for deep-freezing with glycerol plus 1,2-propanediol as cryoprotectant and Group 4, n = 3, fresh embryos destined for ultrastructural analysis. All the frozen/thawed embryos were transferred to recipient mares, except 3 embryos in Group 3 that were subjected to ultrastructural analysis. After thawing the cryoprotectants were remov...
Derisoud E, Jouneau L, Dubois C, Archilla C, Jaszczyszyn Y, Legendre R, Daniel N, Peynot N, Dahirel M, Auclair-Ronzaud J, Wimel L, Duranthon V....Breeding a mare until she is not fertile or even until her death is common in equine industry but the fertility decreases as the mare age increases. Embryo loss due to reduced embryo quality is partly accountable for this observation. Here, the effect of mare's age on blastocysts' gene expression was explored. Day 8 post-ovulation embryos were collected from multiparous young (YM, 6-year-old, N = 5) and older (OM, > 10-year-old, N = 6) non-nursing Saddlebred mares, inseminated with the semen of one stallion. Pure or inner cell mass (ICM) enriched trophoblast, obtained by embryo bise...
Morillo Rodriguez A, Balao da Silva C, Macías-García B, Gallardo Bolaños JM, Tapia JA, Aparicio IM, Ortega-Ferrusola C, Peña FJ.A total of 42 ejaculates were used in the experiment; six ejaculates per stallion, obtained from seven Pure Spanish stallions (PRE), were split and frozen in freezing media with different concentrations and combinations of cryoprotectant (CPA): (i) Cáceres (skim milk based extender) containing 2.5% glycerol (2.5GL), (ii) Cáceres containing 1.5% glycerol and 1.5% dimethylformamide (1.5%GL-1.5%DMFA), (iii) Cáceres extender supplemented with 1.5% glycerol and 2.5% dimethylformamide (1.5%GL-2.5%DMFA) and (iv) Cáceres extender supplemented with 4% dimethylformamide (4%DMFA). After at least 4 we...
Latham CM, Fenger CK, White SH.Responses of equine skeletal muscle characteristics to growth and training have been shown to differ between breeds. These differential responses may arise in part because muscle fiber type and mitochondrial density differ between breeds, even in untrained racing-bred horses. However, it is not known when these breed-specific differences manifest. To test the hypothesis that weanling Standardbreds (SB) and Thoroughbreds (TB) would have higher mitochondrial measures than Quarter Horses (QH), gluteus medius samples were collected from SB (mean ± SD; 6.2 ± 1.0 mo; n = 10), TB (6.1 ± 0.5 mo; n ...
Lançoni R, Celeghini ECC, Giuli V, de Carvalho CPT, Zoca GB, Garcia-Oliveros LN, Batissaco L, Oliveira LZ, de Arruda RP.Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) is a cofactor for mitochondrial electron transport chain and may be an alternative to improve sperm quality of cryopreserved equine semen. This work aimed to improve stallion semen quality after freezing by adding CoQ-10 to the cryopreservation protocol. Seven saddle stallions were utilized. Each animal was submitted to five semen collections and freezing procedures. For cryopreservation, each ejaculate was divided in three treatments: 1) Botucrio® diluent (control); 2) 50 μmol CoQ-10 added to Botucrio® diluent; 3) 1 mmol CoQ-10 added to Botucrio® diluent. Semen batc...
Ceusters JD, Mouithys-Mickalad AA, Franck TJ, Derochette S, Vanderplasschen A, Deby-Dupont GP, Serteyn DA.Horses are particularly sensitive to excessive inflammatory reaction where myeloperoxidase, a marker of inflammation, may contribute to mitochondrial dysfunctions. This study investigated the interaction between myeloperoxidase and cultured primary equine skeletal myoblasts, particularly its effect on mitochondrial respiration combined or not with anoxia followed by reoxygenation (AR). We showed that active myeloperoxidase entered into the cells, interacted with mitochondria and decreased routine and maximal respirations. When combined with AR, myeloperoxidase caused a further decrease of thes...
Meschter CL, Craig D, Hackett R.This investigation examines the histological and ultrastructural lesions of the colonic mucosa during terminal experimental infarction and subsequent reperfusion. Four ponies were anaesthetised and subjected to surgical torsion of the colon. Biopsies were collected at hourly intervals for 3 h, at which point the torsions were corrected. Circulation was re-established for 2 h and the bowel was re-biopsied at hourly intervals. The ponies were killed while under anaesthesia. During the 3 h experimental infarction, the bowel became macroscopically thickened and dark purple. Histologically, the muc...
Mari G, Rizzato G, Merlo B, Iacono E, Bucci D, Seren E, Tamanini C, Galeati G, Spinaci M.Little information is available on the quality of stallion spermatozoa after sex sorting. The objectives of the present study were to assess the quality of sex-sorted stallion spermatozoa and determine its fertilizing ability after hysteroscopic low dose insemination. Ejaculates from four stallions were collected and sorted by a MoFlo SX flow cytometer/sperm sorter. Before and after sorting, spermatozoa were evaluated for motility by Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis, viability (SYBR 14-propidium iodide), mitochondrial function (JC-1) and acrosomal status (fluorescein isothiocyanate Pisum sativ...
Tablin F, Weiss L.The equine bone marrow responds to blood loss by increased erythropoiesis, only releasing reticulocytes into the peripheral circulation in severe chronic anemia. We have used morphometric analysis based on electron microscopy of the equine marrow to examine the maturation and release of reticulocytes. Developing red cells in the bone marrows of normal and chronically anemic horses were divided into four stages: early, intermediate, late-stage erythroblasts, and reticulocytes. Morphometric analysis of each stage included volume density of mitochondria per micron3 of cytoplasm, surface area of t...
Ebisuda Y, Mukai K, Takahashi Y, Yoshida T, Kawano A, Matsuhashi T, Miyata H, Kuwahara M, Ohmura H.Heat acclimatization or acclimation training in horses is practiced to reduce physiological strain and improve exercise performance in the heat, which can involve metabolic improvement in skeletal muscle. However, there is limited information concerning the acute signaling responses of equine skeletal muscle after exercise in a hot environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that exercise in hot conditions induces greater changes in heat shock proteins and mitochondrial-related signaling in equine skeletal muscle compared with exercise in cool conditions. Fifteen t...
Eley CG, Ragg E, Moore GR.The reduction of horse and Candida krusei cytochromes c by ferrocyanide has been studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy and the reaction found to involve a precursor complex of ferrocyanide bound to ferricytochrome c (pH* 7.4, 2H2O, I = 0.12, and 25 degrees C). The electron transfer rate constants for the reduction of the two ferricytochromes by associated ferrocyanide were found to be the same at 780 +/- 80 sec-1 but the association constants for binding of ferrocyanide to ferricytochrome c were significantly different: horse, 90 +/- 20 M-1 and Candida, 285 +/- 30 M-1. The different association const...
Chiaradia E, Pepe M, Orvietani PL, Renzone G, Magini A, Sforna M, Emiliani C, Di Meo A, Scaloni A.Osteochondrosis is a failure of the endochondral ossification that affects developing joints in humans and several animal species. It is a localized idiopathic joint disorder characterized by focal chondronecrosis and growing cartilage retention, which can lead to the formation of fissures, subchondral bone cysts, or intra-articular fragments. Osteochondrosis is a complex multifactorial disease associated with extracellular matrix alterations and failure in chondrocyte differentiation, mainly due to genetic, biochemical, and nutritional factors, as well as traumas. This study describes the mai...
Santos FC, Corcini CD, Costa VG, Gheller SM, Nogueira CE, da Rosa Curcio B, Varel AS.Solid storage medium prevents cellular sedimentation, reduces metabolic demand via limiting movement, and avoids the modification of an extender composition in the sedimentary microenvironment. It has been proven to prolong spermatozoa viability in mammalians. Objective: This experiment aims to evaluate the effect of cool storage in solid phase extender on stallion sperms. Methods: Semen was collected from 10 Crioulo stallions (n=30) and submitted to treatments: control group (semen extender) and groups with gelatin addition in different concentrations (semen extender + 1%, 2% and 3%). Seminal...
Kvist L, Honka J, Salazar D, Kirkinen T, Hemmann K.We used historical DNA samples to examine the history of a native horse breed, the Finnhorse. Samples were collected from private collections, museums, schools and excavations, representing the times prior to, during, and after the foundation of the breed; from the end of the 19th century and throughout the 20th century. We sequenced a fragment of mitochondrial DNA from these historical samples to study the history and evolution of maternal lineages of horses back to the early days of the breed, compared the mitochondrial DNA sequence diversity of different historical periods and modern day Fi...
Spinaci M, Nerozzi C, Mislei B, Blanco-Prieto O, Mari G, Galeati G, Bucci D.The growing and widespread use of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) has raised an intense public debate about the impact of environmental contamination on animal and human health, including male fertility. The aim of this study was to deepen the impact of glyphosate (Gly) and GBHs on mammalian sperm investigating the effect of in vitro exposure of stallion spermatozoa to Gly and to its commercial formulation Roundup® (R). Spermatozoa were incubated at 37 °C with different Gly or R concentrations (from 0.5 to 720 μg/mL Gly or R at the same Gly-equivalent concentrations). After 1 h of in...
Ning T, Ling Y, Hu S, Ardalan A, Li J, Mitra B, Chaudhuri TK, Guan W, Zhao Q, Ma Y, Savolainen P, Zhang Y.Despite decades of research, the horse domestication scenario in East Asia remains poorly understood. The study identified 16 haplogroups with fine-scale phylogenetic resolution using mitochondrial genomes of 317 horse samples. The time to the most recent common ancestor of the 16 haplogroups ranges from [0.8-3.1] thousand years ago (KYA) to [7.9-27.1] KYA. With combined analyses of the mitochondrial control region for 35 extant Przewalski's horses, 3544 modern and 203 ancient horses across the world, researchers provide evidence for that East Asian prevalent haplogroups Q and R were indigenou...
