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Scientific reports2025; 15(1); 14633; doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-93661-7

Astaxanthin supplementation in Arabian racing horses mitigates oxidative stress and inflammation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells through enhanced mitophagy.

Abstract: Astaxanthin, a strong antioxidant carotenoid, has shown promising features in mitigating inflammation and oxidative stress and so that has been considered as a supplement for high-performance animals. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of astaxanthin on oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial health in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from Arabian racehorses. Horse-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) presented increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. The addition of astaxanthin to cell culture reduced H₂O₂-induced inflammatory response by decreasing the expression levels of all the tested pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, astaxanthin displayed a potential antioxidant response by increasing the expression of genes related to antioxidative defense, such as NRF1, SOD2, and GPX. Interestingly, PBMCs isolated from the horses orally supplemented with astaxanthin increased the expression of the mitophagy-related genes PINK1 and PARKIN. Moreover, genes related to mitochondrial dynamics and energy production, such as PPARGC1B, NDUFA9, and MRPL24, as well as genes associated with mitochondrial function, structure and dynamics, such as PIGBOS, MRLP24, PUSL1 and TFAM were upregulated in PBMCs isolated from astaxanthin supplemented horses. Altogether, these findings indicate that astaxanthin may be a beneficial dietary supplement for equine health, supporting resilience against oxidative stress and inflammatory challenges, and improving the recovery and performance of racing horses.
© 2025. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2025-04-26 PubMed ID: 40287452PubMed Central: PMC12033344DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-93661-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research article explores the benefits of antioxidant astaxanthin supplementation in Arabian racehorses. It demonstrates that astaxanthin helps reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and it improves mitochondrial health in horses’ blood cells.

Objective of the Research

  • The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effects of astaxanthin supplementation in Arabian racehorses. Specifically, the researchers focused on the mitigating effects on oxidative stress and inflammation, as well as its impact on the health of mitochondria in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) taken from the horses.

Methodology

  • The researchers used horse-derived PBMCs exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), a condition causing an increase in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a group of chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen known to cause damage through oxidative stress. This exposure also led to an overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α.
  • Astaxanthin was added to the cell culture to observe its effect on the H₂O₂-induced inflammatory response. The researchers focused on measuring changes in the expression levels of the examined pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Results

  • The study found that astaxanthin lessened the H₂O₂-induced inflammatory response by reducing the expression levels of all the studied pro-inflammatory cytokines.
  • In demonstrating an antioxidant response, astaxanthin increased the expression of genes tied to antioxidant defense, including NRF1, SOD2, and GPX.

Additional Findings

  • Further, the research presented an interesting outcome where PBMCs from horses that had orally taken astaxanthin showed boosted expression of mitophagy-related genes PINK1 and PARKIN. The same cells also showed an upregulation of genes associated with mitochondrial dynamics and energy production, like PPARGC1B, NDUFA9, and MRPL24, along with genes associated with mitochondrial functionality, structure, and dynamics, including PIGBOS, MRLP24, PUSL1 and TFAM.
  • In conclusion, these findings suggest the potential utility of astaxanthin as a useful dietary supplement for equine health, aiding resilience against oxidative stress and inflammatory challenges and aiding the recovery and performance of racing horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Giercuszkiewicz-Hecold B, Pajuelo D, Steczkiewicz Z, Cywinska A, Marycz K. (2025). Astaxanthin supplementation in Arabian racing horses mitigates oxidative stress and inflammation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells through enhanced mitophagy. Sci Rep, 15(1), 14633. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93661-7

Publication

Scientific reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
NlmUniqueID: 101563288
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 1
Pages: 14633
PII: 14633

Researcher Affiliations

Giercuszkiewicz-Hecold, Beata
  • Doctoral School, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland.
Pajuelo, David
  • Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Valencia, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
Steczkiewicz, Zofia
  • Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Biology and Animal Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Norwida 27B, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland.
Cywinska, Anna
  • Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Lwowska 1, 87-100, Toruń, Poland.
Marycz, Krzysztof
  • International Institute of Translational Medicine (MIMT), ul. Jesionowa 11, 55-114, Malin Wisznia Mała, Poland. kmmarycz@ucdavis.edu.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / drug effects
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Xanthophylls / pharmacology
  • Xanthophylls / administration & dosage
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Mitophagy / drug effects
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / pharmacology
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / metabolism

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: All the procedures of blood sampling were performed as part of routine health examination, therefore, according to the European directive EU/2010/63 and Polish regulations regarding experiments on animals, there was no need for the approval of the Ethics Committee for the described procedures. Nevertheless, the experimental protocols were described and submitted to the 2nd Local Ethical Committee for Animal Experiments at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW). The protocols were qualified as “no need for approval” by this committee, since they were considered as non-experimental clinical veterinary procedures. A written consent for the use of blood for scientific analyses was obtained from the trainer. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Bourebaba L, Panek M, Piedra LCC, Bourebaba N. Abnormal Fetuin-A levels in obese horses are associated with activated TLR4/NF-ƙB/MAPK axis and depleted FBXW7 E3 ubiquitin ligase. Vet Res Commun 2025 Oct 16;49(6):354.
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  2. Ren F, Rao C, Xiang Q, Wen J, Dai Q, Li H, Liang J, Chen Y, Peng C. Production Methods, Biological Activity and Potential Application Prospects of Astaxanthin. Foods 2025 Jun 15;14(12).
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