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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Oxidative stress in critically ill neonatal foals.
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2025; 39(1); e17297; doi: 10.1111/jvim.17297

Oxidative stress in critically ill neonatal foals.

Abstract: Oxidative injury occurs in septic people, but the role of oxidative stress and antioxidants has rarely been evaluated in foals. Objective: To measure reactive oxygen species (ROS), biomarkers of oxidative injury, and antioxidants in neonatal foals. We hypothesized that ill foals would have higher blood concentrations of ROS and biomarkers of oxidative injury and lower concentrations of antioxidants compared to healthy foals. Methods: Seventy-two hospitalized and 21 healthy neonatal foals. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide [HO]), biomarkers of oxidative injury (malondialdehyde [MDA], protein carbonyl), and antioxidants (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], glutathione, and glutathione reductase [GR] and peroxidase [GPx]) were measured from foals at admission. Measured variables were compared between healthy and ill foals using a 1-way ANOVA by Tukey's multiple comparisons test. Results: Ill foals (n = 51) had significantly higher mean concentrations of HO (healthy 2.6 ± 1.4 nmol/mL, ill 6.8 ± 4.6 L nmol/mL; 95% CI), MDA (healthy 31.2 ± 14.4 nmol/mL, ill 114.3 ± 94.0 nmol/mL; 95% CI), and protein carbonyl (healthy 0.07 ± 0.01 nmol/mg protein, ill 0.12 ± 0.02 nmol/mg protein, 95% CI). Significant lower CAT (healthy 0.4 ± 0.3 mU/mg protein, ill 0.02 ± 0.02 mU/mg protein, 95% CI), glutathione (healthy 238.5 ± 101.9 μg/mL, ill 110.7 ± 37.8 μg/mL, 95% CI; P < .0001), GR (healthy 1.6 ± 1.8 mU/mg protein, ill 0.4 ± 0.5 mU/mg protein, 95% CI), and GPx (healthy 0.01 ± 0.003 mU/mg protein, ill 0.007 ± 0.002 mU/mg protein, 95% CI) were also noted. Conclusions: Oxidative stress and lower antioxidant concentrations occur in ill and bacteremic neonatal foals. These variables should be considered during the treatment of ill foals.
© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2025-01-24 PubMed ID: 39854109PubMed Central: PMC11758150DOI: 10.1111/jvim.17297Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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The research article studies the role of oxidative stress and low antioxidant levels in seriously ill newborn horses, or foals. It finds that ill foals experience higher levels of oxidative stress and contain lower antioxidant levels than their healthy counterparts.

Objective and Hypothesis

  • The purpose of this research was to investigate and measure the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), biomarkers of oxidative injury, and antioxidants in neonatal foals. The researchers hypothesized that ill foals would have higher concentrations of ROS and oxidative injury biomarkers, and lower concentrations of antioxidants compared to healthy foals.

Research Methodology

  • The study was a prospective cohort study, involving 72 hospitalized and 21 healthy neonatal foals.
  • The researchers measured the levels of oxidants (hydrogen peroxide), biomarkers of oxidative injury (malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl), and antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and glutathione reductase and peroxidase) present in the foals upon admission.
  • These variables were then compared between healthy and ill foals using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) which was further detailed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test.

Research Findings

  • The study found that ill foals had significantly higher average concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (as a representative of ROS), malondialdehyde (a biomarker that indicates oxidative damage to lipids), and protein carbonyl (a marker of protein oxidation).
  • Additionally, ill foals had measurably lower concentrations of antioxidants like catalase (an enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide), glutathione (a potent antioxidant), glutathione reductase (an enzyme that helps maintain levels of reduced glutathione), and glutathione peroxidase (an enzyme that reduces lipid hydroperoxides).

Conclusion

  • From these observations, the research concluded that ill neonatal foals experience oxidative stress and have lower concentrations of antioxidants. The researchers suggest that these variables should be taken into consideration while treating ill foals, paving the way for potential changes in veterinary treatment approaches to neonatal foals in critical condition.

Cite This Article

APA
Wong D, Sahoo DK, Faivre C, Kopper J, Dersh K, Beachler T, Esser M. (2025). Oxidative stress in critically ill neonatal foals. J Vet Intern Med, 39(1), e17297. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.17297

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 39
Issue: 1
Pages: e17297
PII: e17297

Researcher Affiliations

Wong, David
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Sahoo, Dipak Kumar
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Faivre, Cosette
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Kopper, Jamie
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Dersh, Katie
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Beachler, Theresa
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Esser, Melissa
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / blood
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Horse Diseases / blood
  • Horse Diseases / metabolism
  • Animals, Newborn / blood
  • Critical Illness
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Female
  • Male
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / blood
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / blood
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / metabolism
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Catalase / blood
  • Malondialdehyde / blood
  • Glutathione / blood
  • Superoxide Dismutase / blood
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Cohort Studies
  • Protein Carbonylation

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Sahoo DK, Wong D, Paital B, Ruby RE, Patel A. Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Associated Genes in Septic Neonatal Foals. Antioxidants (Basel) 2025 Aug 21;14(8).
    doi: 10.3390/antiox14081024pubmed: 40867920google scholar: lookup
  2. Sahoo DK, Stewart T, Lindgreen EM, Patel B, Patel A, Trivedi JN, Parker V, Rudinsky AJ, Winston JA, Bourgois-Mochel A, Mochel JP, Allenspach K, Heilmann RM, Jergens AE. Restorative Effects of Synbiotics on Colonic Ultrastructure and Oxidative Stress in Dogs with Chronic Enteropathy. Antioxidants (Basel) 2025 Jun 13;14(6).
    doi: 10.3390/antiox14060727pubmed: 40563358google scholar: lookup
  3. Sahoo DK, Heilmann RM, Patel A. Editorial: Understanding molecular mechanisms to facilitate the development of biomarkers for therapeutic intervention in gastrointestinal diseases and sepsis. Front Genet 2025;16:1581299.
    doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1581299pubmed: 40134719google scholar: lookup
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