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Environmental monitoring and assessment2025; 197(9); 1058; doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-14509-1

Effects of vitamin E and selenium supplementation on oxidative stress parameters and marker of genomic instability in show jumping equines exposed to different sources of atmospheric pollution.

Abstract: The inhalation of pollutants from fossil fuel combustion increases oxidative stress and may cause genotoxic damage, a risk heightened during physical exercise due to increased respiratory rates. This concern extends to equines engaged in intense activities like show jumping. Antioxidant supplementation with vitamin E and selenium may mitigate oxidative stress induced by exercise in polluted environments. This study evaluated the effects of oral supplementation on show jumping horses subjected to physical exertion in urban (n = 10) and peri-urban (n = 10) areas with varying pollution levels. Oxidative stress markers (protein quantification, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), marker of genomic instability (binucleation), and clinical parameters were assessed in relation to environmental nitrogen dioxide (NO) and ozone (O) levels. Results showed that supplementation influenced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), with lower malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in supplemented groups, especially in urban horses (p = 0.027). DNA damage was reduced in supplemented horses from urban areas with high ozone (O) levels (p = 0.002), but no protective effect was observed in peri-urban horses. These findings suggest that vitamin E and selenium supplementation have antioxidant and DNA-protective impact in urban environments, though their efficacy appears variable in peri-urban areas. Further research incorporating additional pollution markers is necessary to clarify these effects.
© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Publication Date: 2025-08-29 PubMed ID: 40879818DOI: 10.1007/s10661-025-14509-1Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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Overview

  • This study investigated how vitamin E and selenium supplements affect oxidative stress and DNA damage in show jumping horses exposed to different air pollution levels.
  • The research found that supplementation reduced markers of oxidative damage and genomic instability in horses living in urban high-pollution areas but was less effective in peri-urban environments.

Background and Purpose

  • Equines performing intensive exercise, such as show jumping, have an increased respiratory rate, leading to greater inhalation of air pollutants from fossil fuel combustion.
  • Pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and ozone (O₃) contribute to oxidative stress—an imbalance favoring harmful reactive oxygen species—and may cause genotoxic damage to DNA.
  • Vitamin E and selenium are known antioxidants that potentially mitigate oxidative stress, possibly protecting cellular components like lipids and DNA from damage.
  • The study aimed to examine whether oral supplementation with vitamin E and selenium lessens oxidative stress and DNA damage in horses exposed to different pollution levels during exercise.

Study Design and Methods

  • Participants: Twenty show jumping horses were divided into two groups based on their environment:
    • Urban area group (n=10): exposed to higher pollution levels.
    • Peri-urban area group (n=10): exposed to relatively lower pollution levels.
  • Intervention: Oral supplementation with vitamin E and selenium.
  • Assessments conducted included:
    • Oxidative stress markers:
      • Protein quantification
      • Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity
      • Catalase (CAT) activity
      • Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), primarily measuring malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation product
    • Genomic instability marker:
      • Binucleation rate, indicating DNA damage
    • Clinical parameters for overall health status.
  • Environmental measurements of NO₂ and ozone levels were taken to correlate pollution exposure with biological effects.

Key Results

  • Supplementation Effects on Oxidative Stress:
    • Vitamin E and selenium supplementation lowered TBARS levels, indicating reduced lipid peroxidation.
    • The reduction in MDA concentration was statistically significant in horses from urban areas (p=0.027), suggesting effective mitigation of oxidative stress under high pollution.
  • Genomic Instability Findings:
    • Horses supplemented in urban environments with high ozone levels exhibited significant decreases in binucleation rates, indicating lower DNA damage (p=0.002).
    • No protective effect on DNA damage was observed in peri-urban horses despite supplementation.
  • Overall, the supplementation demonstrated a protective antioxidant and DNA-stabilizing effect primarily in horses exposed to more polluted urban environments.

Interpretation and Implications

  • The findings imply that antioxidant supplementation with vitamin E and selenium can counteract some harmful effects of pollution-induced oxidative stress and genomic instability in exercising horses living in urban areas.
  • The lack of observed benefit in peri-urban horses may be due to:
    • Lower pollution levels making oxidative damage less pronounced and harder to detect changes.
    • Different pollutant profiles or other environmental factors influencing supplementation efficacy.
  • This suggests that supplementation strategies might need tailoring based on pollution exposure and environmental context.
  • Further research should:
    • Include a broader range of pollution markers to better characterize environmental exposures.
    • Explore long-term effects of antioxidant supplementation.
    • Investigate mechanistic pathways of protection and dose optimization for equines exposed to diverse conditions.

Conclusion

  • Vitamin E and selenium supplementation shows promise as a protective intervention against oxidative stress and DNA damage in show jumping horses exposed to urban atmospheric pollution during exercise.
  • The variable effectiveness depending on environmental pollution levels highlights the complexity of antioxidant interventions and the need for customized approaches.

Cite This Article

APA
Dos Santos Gomes V, Dos Santos Marques JV, da Silva GN, Marmett B, Dallegrave E. (2025). Effects of vitamin E and selenium supplementation on oxidative stress parameters and marker of genomic instability in show jumping equines exposed to different sources of atmospheric pollution. Environ Monit Assess, 197(9), 1058. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-025-14509-1

Publication

Environmental monitoring and assessment
ISSN: 1573-2959
NlmUniqueID: 8508350
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 197
Issue: 9
Pages: 1058

Researcher Affiliations

Dos Santos Gomes, Victória
  • Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
  • Toxicology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
Dos Santos Marques, José Vítor
  • Toxicology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
da Silva, Gedaias Noronha
  • Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
  • Toxicology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
Marmett, Bruna
  • Project Office, Social Responsibility, PROADI-SUS, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
  • Graduate Program in Pediatrics - Federal, University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
Dallegrave, Eliane
  • Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil. elianedal@ufcspa.edu.br.
  • Toxicology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil. elianedal@ufcspa.edu.br.
  • Pharmacosciences Department, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Rua Sarmento Leite, 245, Porto Alegre, CEP, 90050-170, Brazil. elianedal@ufcspa.edu.br.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Vitamin E / pharmacology
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Horses
  • Selenium
  • Air Pollutants / toxicity
  • Air Pollutants / analysis
  • Genomic Instability / drug effects
  • Air Pollution / statistics & numerical data
  • Antioxidants
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Ozone / toxicity
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • DNA Damage
  • Nitrogen Dioxide / toxicity

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Clinical trial number: Not applicable.

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