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Veterinary research communications2024; doi: 10.1007/s11259-024-10459-0

Monitoring the physiological inflammatory alertness in horse after road transport.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the changes of pro-inflammatory interleukins in 10 horses subjected to road transport practices (distance of 150 km) from the training site (Messina, Sicily) to the competition centre in Syracuse (Sicily). Blood sampling and interleukins analysis were performed during a round trip transportation (transport 1 and transport 2). In particular, blood samples were collected before the transport took place (Pre), five minutes later (Post) and one hour later (Post 1 h), for each transport, in order to assess the serum concentration of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2 and IL-6. The results showed that the serum concentration of IL-1α decreased at Post and Post 1 h compared to the values obtained at rest condition (P < 0.05). The other interleukins analysed (i.e. IL-1β, IL-2 and IL-6) showed increased levels at Post than Rest and Post 1 h in transport 1 (P  0.05); however, higher levels of IL-1α at Pre and higher IL-1β, IL-2 and IL-6 values at Post were found in transport 1 than transport 2 (P < 0.05). The increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines after transport 1 suggests the triggering of the inflammatory event and this may show that, although horses are animals accustomed to transport, this is a stressful event that could activate the well-orchestrated inflammation cascade, albeit physiological and temporary, as highlighted by the lower serum concentrations of the investigated interleukins found in transport 1 than transport 2 and by the lack of significant differences in the serum concentrations of the investigated interleukins among the time points of transport 2. It must be taken into account that enrolled animals are well-trained and healthy athletic horses participating to a jumper competition, thus, such inflammation did not occur thanks to a good balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines which allowed a prompt restoration of homeostasis eventually impaired by the stressful event.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.
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Publication Date: 2024-07-05 PubMed ID: 38965174PubMed Central: 8002136DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10459-0Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research investigates how road transport impacts the inflammation response in horses, by monitoring changes in certain inflammatory markers known as interleukins.

Objective

In this study, researchers aimed to understand how the physiological inflammatory response in horses changes due to road transport. Ten healthy and well-trained jumper competition horses were studied, and their inflammation markers (interleukins) were measured at regular intervals before, during, and after a 150km road journey.

Methods

  • The horses were transported from their training site in Messina, Sicily, to a competition centre in Syracuse.
  • Two round-trip transports were conducted, named transport 1 and transport 2.
  • Blood samples were taken before transport (Pre), five minutes after transport (Post), and one hour after transport (Post 1 h).
  • The interleukins tested were IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, and IL-6, which are protein molecules involved in inflammation and immune response.

Findings

  • In transport 1, IL-1α levels decreased after transport, while the rest (IL-1β, IL-2, and IL-6) increased.
  • In transport 2, there were no significant changes in interleukin levels at different time points.
  • Compared to transport 2, IL-1α levels were higher before transport and IL-1β, IL-2, and IL-6 levels were higher after transport in transport 1.

Conclusion

The researchers concluded that road transport, even in well-trained horses, triggers a temporary and physiological inflammatory response. This was evidenced by the increased levels of certain interleukins during transport 1. However, this inflammation did not occur in transport 2, suggesting a balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the horses, allowing them to restore homeostasis after the stressful event of transport. The different responses between transport 1 and transport 2 might indicate an adaptation to the stress of the journey over time.

Cite This Article

APA
Arrigo F, Aragona F, Faggio C, Giudice E, Giannetto C, Piccione G, Rizzo M, Arfuso F. (2024). Monitoring the physiological inflammatory alertness in horse after road transport. Vet Res Commun. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-024-10459-0

Publication

Veterinary research communications
ISSN: 1573-7446
NlmUniqueID: 8100520
Country: Switzerland
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Arrigo, Federica
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Giovanni Palatucci snc, Messina, 98168, Italy.
Aragona, Francesca
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Giovanni Palatucci snc, Messina, 98168, Italy. francesca.aragona@unime.it.
Faggio, Caterina
  • Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, 98168, Italy.
  • Department of Eco-sustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.
Giudice, Elisabetta
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Giovanni Palatucci snc, Messina, 98168, Italy.
Giannetto, Claudia
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Giovanni Palatucci snc, Messina, 98168, Italy.
Piccione, Giuseppe
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Giovanni Palatucci snc, Messina, 98168, Italy.
Rizzo, Maria
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Giovanni Palatucci snc, Messina, 98168, Italy.
Arfuso, Francesca
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Giovanni Palatucci snc, Messina, 98168, Italy.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Aragona F, Giannetto C, Piccione G, Arfuso F, Arrigo F, Costa A, De Caro S, Cannuli A, Fazio F. Effect of time of day and physical exercise on inflammatory biomarkers in athletic horses. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1608770.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1608770pubmed: 40534779google scholar: lookup
  2. Aragona F, Rizzo M, Giudice E, Fazio F, Costa A, Di Bella B, De Caro S, Arfuso F, Briglia M, Piccione G, Giannetto C. Circadian Oscillation of Leukocyte Subpopulations and Inflammatory Cytokines over a 24-H Period in Horses. Vet Sci 2025 Apr 20;12(4).
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