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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Serum Cortisol and Its Correlation with Leucocyte Profile an...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2022; 12(7); 841; doi: 10.3390/ani12070841

Serum Cortisol and Its Correlation with Leucocyte Profile and Circulating Lipids in Donkeys (Equus asinus).

Abstract: The values for basal serum cortisol concentrations of horses are available in many studies. However, there are limited data about serum cortisol in donkeys. The present study aimed to determine the baseline values for serum cortisol, to evaluate the influence of age and pregnancy on its levels, and to correlate its values with leucocyte profile, serum cholesterol, and triglycerides. Serum samples were collected from 97 healthy donkeys. Cortisol was analyzed by chemo-luminescent assay. The median and the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles of serum cortisol measured and calculated in all donkeys were 5.64, 3.40, and 10.54 µg/dL, respectively. Females (n.91) were divided into three groups: Group A (young), Group B (adult), and Group C (pregnant at the 9th−11th months). The effect of age and physiological status was investigated by the Mann−Whitney test. Group C showed significantly higher levels than Group B (p < 0.05). Significant correlations were found in Group B with monocytes (r = 0.37, p < 0.01) and triglycerides (r = 0.30, p < 0.05), and in Group C with monocytes (r = 0.79, p < 0.01), basophils (r = 0.6, p < 0.05), and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (r = −0.63, p < 0.05). Higher cortisol values related to late pregnancy are also found in this species. These preliminary results provide evidence for a relationship between cortisol and the immune system as well as cortisol and lipid metabolism modulated by age and pregnancy when parameters are within normal values.
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Publication Date: 2022-03-26 PubMed ID: 35405831PubMed Central: PMC8996940DOI: 10.3390/ani12070841Google 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.

This study was aimed at understanding serum cortisol levels in donkeys, examining how those levels are impacted by factors such as age and pregnancy status, and also investigating the link between those levels and the animals’ leucocyte profile and blood lipid (cholesterol and triglycerides) levels.

Understanding the Research

  • The study focuses on serum cortisol, a hormone that’s typically released in response to stress, in donkeys. Unlike in horses, where plenty of data is available, little is known about cortisol levels in donkeys.
  • Serum samples were taken from 97 healthy donkeys to determine the baseline levels of cortisol. These were then analyzed using a chemiluminescent assay, a technique often used in molecular biology and medical diagnostics.
  • The donkeys were divided into three groups based on age (Group A being young, B being adults, C being pregnant in the 9th to 11th months). The study was interested in how age and pregnancy might affect cortisol levels.

Findings

  • Average cortisol levels in the donkeys were established with median values and the 2.5th and 97.5th percentile range. The mean was 5.64, with the range being 3.40 to 10.54 µg/dL.
  • Group C, the pregnant donkeys, had significantly higher cortisol levels than Group B, the adult donkeys. This suggests that pregnancy does influence cortisol levels in donkeys, which the study notes is also seen in horses.
  • Significant correlations were found between cortisol and monocytes (a type of white blood cell) as well as with triglycerides (a type of fat found in blood) in Group B, whereas in Group C, cortisol correlated significantly with monocytes, basophils (another type of white blood cell), and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (a measure of immune response). These connections underline a relationship between cortisol and the immune system and cortisol and lipid metabolism.

Implications of the Research

  • Data from this study bridges a gap in veterinary research, giving insights into cortisol values in donkeys that could contribute to improving animal welfare and medical care.
  • The noted correlations between cortisol levels, immune response markers, and lipid metabolism indicate a link between cortisol and these systems, providing leads for future research. This could delineate how cortisol mediates the interaction between stress, immune response, and energy regulation.
  • The significant effect of pregnancy on cortisol levels adds to scientific knowledge of pregnancy’s impact on hormonal makeup, broadening the understanding of gestational physiology in ungulates.

Cite This Article

APA
Alberghina D, Statelli A, Monteverde V, Vazzana I, Cascone G, Panzera M. (2022). Serum Cortisol and Its Correlation with Leucocyte Profile and Circulating Lipids in Donkeys (Equus asinus). Animals (Basel), 12(7), 841. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12070841

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 7
PII: 841

Researcher Affiliations

Alberghina, Daniela
  • Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina, Via Palatucci sn, 98168 Messina, Italy.
Statelli, Alessandra
  • Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina, Via Palatucci sn, 98168 Messina, Italy.
Monteverde, Vincenzo
  • Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Sicily, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy.
Vazzana, Irene
  • Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Sicily, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy.
Cascone, Giuseppe
  • Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Ragusa, Contrada Conservatore, 97100 Ragusa, Italy.
Panzera, Michele
  • Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina, Via Palatucci sn, 98168 Messina, Italy.
  • Centro Universitario Specializzato per gli Interventi Assistiti con gli Animali, Università degli Studi di Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Mariti C, Russo G, Mazzoni C, Borrelli C, Gori E, Habermaass V, Marchetti V. Factors Affecting Hair Cortisol Concentration in Domestic Dogs: A Focus on Factors Related to Dogs and Their Guardians. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jun 27;15(13).
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  2. Hussen J, Althagafi H. Serum cortisol level as marker of stress in camels: relationship with immunological profile. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1570564.
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