Effect of training status on immune defence related gene expression in Thoroughbred: are genes ready for the sprint?
Abstract: Athletic performance is both a stress factor and an adaptive response to exercise that may be modulated by training, reduce inflammation and help prevent disease. Studies on the endocrinology of exercise and training have demonstrated the existence of an integrated metabolic network of hormone and cytokine regulation. Subsequent molecular studies have shown that repeated bouts of exercise may establish new basal levels of gene expression at rest. The Thoroughbred horse may be a useful 'exercise model' for inter-individual comparisons between subjects with homogeneous genetic and environmental backgrounds and similar exercise management practices. In this study, the effects of training and acute effort on gene expression were evaluated with a real time PCR approach in athletic (n=10) and sedentary horses (n=9), using a previously characterised panel of genes known to be highly modulated during effort (CXCL2, TLR4, IL1β, IL8, IL1RII, IL18, IL6 and CEBPβ). A 'rest comparison' was performed to evaluate a training effect in both groups while a 'race comparison' was performed in athletic horses only (before, immediately after, and 12h after racing) to determine the effect of acute effort. The results indicated that many of the investigated genes (TLR4, IL1β, IL1RII, IL18, IL6 and CEBPβ) were expressed to a greater extent in athletic horses compared to sedentary animals when both were at rest. However, a time-course comparison in the athletic horses revealed that genes exhibiting the highest levels of expression at rest did not show significant changes after the race. The findings suggested that training may exert a conditioning on gene expression at rest leading to a more prompt response to exercise-induced stress in Thoroughbreds.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2012-09-16 PubMed ID: 22990119DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.07.021Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research studied how athletic training influences immune-related gene expression in Thoroughbred horses. The study concluded that training conditions these genes, leading to a quick response when the body is subjected to the stress of intense exercise.
Study Methodology
- The researchers used a sample of 19 Thoroughbred horses, 10 of which were athletic and undergoing intensive training, while the other 9 were sedentary.
- They used a previously identified group of genes (CXCL2, TLR4, IL1β, IL8, IL1RII, IL18, IL6, and CEBPβ) that are significantly regulated during physical exercise for the gene expression evaluation purpose.
- A real-time PCR approach was used for assessing the effects of training and acute effort on gene expression.
Rest Comparison and Race Comparison
- The team conducted a ‘rest comparison’ to ascertain the effects of training in both sedentary and athletic groups while they were at rest.
- In the athletic group of horses, a ‘race comparison’ was performed before, immediately after, and 12 hours following racing to determine the effects of acute physical effort.
Key Findings
- The results indicated that many of the targeted genes (TLR4, IL1β, IL1RII, IL18, IL6, and CEBPβ) showed greater expression in athletic horses compared to sedentary horses whilst they were at rest.
- A more interesting finding was that some genes, despite having high expression levels at rest, did not show significant changes post-race. This suggests that the conditioning effect of training on gene expression prepares the body for exercise-induced stress, maintaining steady gene expression levels even with intense exertion.
Significance and Implications
- The study concludes that athletic performance and training not only represent stress factors but are also adaptive responses to exercise. This adaptation, modulated by training, involves the regulation of gene expression to swiftly respond to external stimuli such as physical stress.
- The findings could open up new pathways for understanding how training might influence gene expression in humans and help design effective training or conditioning regimes to optimize health benefits.
Cite This Article
APA
Cappelli K, Felicetti M, Capomaccio S, Nocelli C, Silvestrelli M, Verini-Supplizi A.
(2012).
Effect of training status on immune defence related gene expression in Thoroughbred: are genes ready for the sprint?
Vet J, 195(3), 373-376.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.07.021 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Centro di Studio del Cavallo Sportivo, Dipartimento di Patologia, Diagnostica e Clinica Veterinaria, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy. katia.cappelli@unipg.it
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cytokines / genetics
- Cytokines / metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation / immunology
- Horses / genetics
- Horses / physiology
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Sports
Citations
This article has been cited 18 times.- Wilson J, De Donato M, Appelbaum B, Garcia CT, Peters S. Differential Expression of Innate and Adaptive Immune Genes during Acute Physical Exercise in American Quarter Horses. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jan 16;13(2).
- Zandoná Meleiro MC, de Carvalho HJC, Ribeiro RR, da Silva MD, Salles Gomes CM, Miglino MA, de Santis Prada IL. Immune Functions Alterations Due to Racing Stress in Thoroughbred Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022 May 7;12(9).
- Cappelli K, Mecocci S, Capomaccio S, Beccati F, Palumbo AR, Tognoloni A, Pepe M, Chiaradia E. Circulating Transcriptional Profile Modulation in Response to Metabolic Unbalance Due to Long-Term Exercise in Equine Athletes: A Pilot Study. Genes (Basel) 2021 Dec 9;12(12).
- Mactaggart G, Waran N, Phillips CJC. Identification of Thoroughbred Racehorse Welfare Issues by Industry Stakeholders. Animals (Basel) 2021 May 11;11(5).
- Mecocci S, Porcellato I, Armando F, Mechelli L, Brachelente C, Pepe M, Gialletti R, Passeri B, Modesto P, Ghelardi A, Cappelli K, Razzuoli E. Equine Genital Squamous Cell Carcinoma Associated with EcPV2 Infection: RANKL Pathway Correlated to Inflammation and Wnt Signaling Activation. Biology (Basel) 2021 Mar 21;10(3).
- Porcellato I, Mecocci S, Mechelli L, Cappelli K, Brachelente C, Pepe M, Orlandi M, Gialletti R, Passeri B, Ferrari A, Modesto P, Ghelardi A, Razzuoli E. Equine Penile Squamous Cell Carcinomas as a Model for Human Disease: A Preliminary Investigation on Tumor Immune Microenvironment. Cells 2020 Oct 27;9(11).
- Cappelli K, Amadori M, Mecocci S, Miglio A, Antognoni MT, Razzuoli E. Immune Response in Young Thoroughbred Racehorses under Training. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 5;10(10).
- Cappelli K, Mecocci S, Gioiosa S, Giontella A, Silvestrelli M, Cherchi R, Valentini A, Chillemi G, Capomaccio S. Gallop Racing Shifts Mature mRNA towards Introns: Does Exercise-Induced Stress Enhance Genome Plasticity?. Genes (Basel) 2020 Apr 9;11(4).
- Miglio A, Cappelli K, Capomaccio S, Mecocci S, Silvestrelli M, Antognoni MT. Metabolic and Biomolecular Changes Induced by Incremental Long-Term Training in Young Thoroughbred Racehorses during First Workout Season. Animals (Basel) 2020 Feb 18;10(2).
- Cappelli K, Gialletti R, Tesei B, Bassotti G, Fettucciari K, Capomaccio S, Bonfili L, Cuccioloni M, Eleuteri AM, Spaterna A, Laus F. Guanylin, Uroguanylin and Guanylate Cyclase-C Are Expressed in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Horses. Front Physiol 2019;10:1237.
- Yang F, Zhou L, Song J, WangJinMei A, Yang Y, Tang ZW, Huang QY. Liver CEBPβ Modulates the Kynurenine Metabolism and Mediates the Motility for Hypoxia-Induced Central Fatigue in Mice. Front Physiol 2019;10:243.
- Cappelli K, Capomaccio S, Viglino A, Silvestrelli M, Beccati F, Moscati L, Chiaradia E. Circulating miRNAs as Putative Biomarkers of Exercise Adaptation in Endurance Horses. Front Physiol 2018;9:429.
- Capomaccio S, Vitulo N, Verini-Supplizi A, Barcaccia G, Albiero A, D'Angelo M, Campagna D, Valle G, Felicetti M, Silvestrelli M, Cappelli K. RNA sequencing of the exercise transcriptome in equine athletes. PLoS One 2013;8(12):e83504.
- Giercuszkiewicz-Hecold B, Kulka M, Czopowicz M, Szarska E, Strzelec K, Grzeczka A, Graczyk S, Wiśniewska M, Jędrzejkowska Z, Rumińska A, Marycz K, Cywińska A. Astaxanthin Supplementation Does Not Alter Training-Related Changes in Inflammatory Cytokine Profile in Arabian Racing Horses. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024 Jul 26;13(8).
- Miglio A, Falcinelli E, Cappelli K, Mecocci S, Mezzasoma AM, Antognoni MT, Gresele P. Effect of Regular Training on Platelet Function in Untrained Thoroughbreds. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jan 27;14(3).
- Reißmann M, Rajavel A, Kokov ZA, Schmitt AO. Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes after Endurance Runs in Karbadian Horses to Determine Candidates for Stress Indicators and Performance Capability. Genes (Basel) 2023 Oct 24;14(11).
- Dąbrowska I, Grzędzicka J, Niedzielska A, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O. Impact of Chlorogenic Acid on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Proliferation, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammatory Responses in Racehorses during Exercise. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023 Oct 28;12(11).
- Cappelli K, Mecocci S, Porceddu A, Albertini E, Giontella A, Miglio A, Silvestrelli M, Verini Supplizi A, Marconi G, Capomaccio S. Genome-wide epigenetic modifications in sports horses during training as an adaptation phenomenon. Sci Rep 2023 Nov 1;13(1):18786.
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