Apoptosis and antioxidant status are influenced by age and exercise training in horses.
Abstract: Eight mature (12 +/- 2 yr; MAT) and 5 older (22 +/- 2 yr; OLD) Standardbred mares were used to test the hypothesis that aging and exercise training would alter apoptosis in white blood cells and antioxidant status. The horses were housed indoors overnight (16 h/d) in 3 m x 3 m stalls and were turned out in a drylot during the day. They were fed a diet consisting of total mixed ration, hay cubes fed ad libitum or an equine senior diet plus grass hay. Horses were trained for 20 to 30 min/d, 3 to 5 d/wk for 8 wk at a submaximal work intensity between 60 to 70% of maximal heart rate. A graded exercise test (GXT; stepwise test until exhaustion) was performed before (GXT1) and after (GXT2) the 8 wk of training. During the GXT, blood samples and heart rate were taken at rest, 6 m/s, fatigue, and at 5 and 60 min postfatigue. Fatigue plasma lactate concentration was greater in MAT (19.3 +/- 1.5 at 10 m/s) compared with the OLD (10.9 +/- 1.2 mmol/L at 9 m/s; P = 0.008) horses. There was no effect of age or training on plasma lipid hydroperoxide (LPO) concentration. However, there was a positive correlation between LPO and plasma lactate concentration (r = 0.27, P = 0.006) during acute exercise. There was a greater concentration of total glutathione after GXT1 than after GXT2 (111.8 +/- 5.0 vs. 98.6 +/- 3.4 microM, respectively; P = 0.0002) for both age groups. Apoptosis was less (P = 0.002) in white blood cells of the MAT vs. the OLD group. These results demonstrate that older horses are under similar amounts of oxidative stress, measured by LPO, and have similar levels of glutathione in their systems compared with mature horses. The observation that more glutathione was needed during GXT1 for both groups of horses indicates that training helps horses adapt their system for the intense post-training exercise tests. The greater level of white blood cell apoptosis also indicates that older horses may be immune-compromised during exercise. However, research still needs to be performed regarding dietary supplementation in the aged horse.
Publication Date: 2007-12-21 PubMed ID: 18156356DOI: 10.2527/jas.2007-0585Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research investigates the effects of age and exercise on the rate of programmed cell death (apoptosis) and the antioxidant status in horses. Findings indicate that there is more cell death in older horses and less antioxidant glutathione. However, there were no significant differences in oxidative stress, as measured by levels of lipid hydroperoxide, between mature and aged horses, whilst physical training appeared to help the horses’ bodies prepare for intense physical activity.
Research Design and Methodology
- This study involved 13 standardbred mares divided into two groups: mature horses (8 horses, 12 ± 2 years old) and older horses (5 horses, 22 ± 2 years old).
- The horses were examined in a controlled environment with specific dietary and physical activity schedules.
- Both groups followed an 8-week training program of submaximal exercise. Their exercise performance was evaluated with a graded exercise test (GXT) before and after the training period.
- During these tests, blood samples were taken to measure cell apoptosis and antioxidant levels.
Key Findings
- There was no significant difference in lipid hydroperoxide concentration (a marker of oxidative stress) between the mature and older horses. The study found a correlation between lipid hydroperoxide and lactate levels, increasing during acute exercise.
- Overall, the level of glutathione (a key antioxidant) decreased after the exercise training program in both horse groups.
- The level of apoptosis was lower in mature horses compared to older horses, suggesting older horses may have a compromised immune response during exercise.
Implications and Future Directions
- The results suggest that older horses may encounter more cell death and have reduced antioxidant levels, potentially compromising their immunity during exercise.
- Despite their age, the horses had similar levels of oxidative stress, indicating that both mature and older horses can handle the same level of exercise-induced oxidative stress.
- Physical training seemed beneficial for both horse groups as it helped to prepare the body for future intense physical activities.
- The decrease in glutathione after the 8-week training period could be an adaptive response to repeated bouts of physical exercise.
- The study points to the need for further research on the potential benefits of dietary supplementation for aged horses in mitigating apoptosis and antioxidant depletion.
Cite This Article
APA
Williams CA, Gordon ME, Betros CL, McKeever KH.
(2007).
Apoptosis and antioxidant status are influenced by age and exercise training in horses.
J Anim Sci, 86(3), 576-583.
https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2007-0585 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, Equine Science Center, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick 08901, USA. cwilliams@aesop.rutgers.edu
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animal Feed / analysis
- Animals
- Apoptosis / physiology
- Erythrocytes / chemistry
- Female
- Glutathione / blood
- Glutathione Peroxidase / blood
- Horses / physiology
- Lactic Acid / blood
- Leukocytes / physiology
- Lipid Peroxides / blood
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / methods
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Time Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Żak A, Siwińska N, Chełmecka E, Bażanów B, Romuk E, Adams A, Niedźwiedź A, Stygar D. Effects of Advanced Age, Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction and Insulin Dysregulation on Serum Antioxidant Markers in Horses. Antioxidants (Basel) 2020 May 21;9(5).
- Bullone M, Lavoie JP. The Contribution of Oxidative Stress and Inflamm-Aging in Human and Equine Asthma. Int J Mol Sci 2017 Dec 5;18(12).
- Seo H, Lee NH, Ryu S. Antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects of pine needle powder ingestion and endurance training in high cholesterol-fed rats. J Exerc Nutrition Biochem 2014 Sep;18(3):301-9.
- Lamprecht ED, Williams CA. Biomarkers of antioxidant status, inflammation, and cartilage metabolism are affected by acute intense exercise but not superoxide dismutase supplementation in horses. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2012;2012:920932.
- Barshick MR, Ely KM, Mogge KC, Chance LM, Johnson SE. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) Supplementation in Adult Horses Supports Improved Skeletal Muscle Inflammatory Gene Expression Following Exercise. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jan 14;15(2).
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