The Impact of N-Acetyl Cysteine and Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Skeletal Muscle Antioxidants and Proteome in Fit Thoroughbred Horses.
Abstract: Horses have one of the highest skeletal muscle oxidative capacities amongst mammals, which, combined with a high glycolytic capacity, could perturb redox status during maximal exercise. We determined the effect of 30 d of oral coenzyme Q10 and N-acetyl-cysteine supplementation (NACQ) on muscle glutathione (GSH), cysteine, ROS, and coenzyme Q10 concentrations, and the muscle proteome, in seven maximally exercising Thoroughbred horses using a placebo and randomized cross-over design. Gluteal muscle biopsies were obtained the day before and 1 h after maximal exercise. Concentrations of GSH, cysteine, coenzyme Q10, and ROS were measured, and citrate synthase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities analyzed. GSH increased significantly 1 h post-exercise in the NACQ group ( = 0.022), whereas other antioxidant concentrations/activities were unchanged. TMT proteomic analysis revealed 40 differentially expressed proteins with NACQ out of 387 identified, including upregulation of 13 mitochondrial proteins (TCA cycle and NADPH production), 4 Z-disc proteins, and down regulation of 9 glycolytic proteins. NACQ supplementation significantly impacted muscle redox capacity after intense exercise by enhancing muscle glutathione concentrations and increasing expression of proteins involved in the uptake of glutathione into mitochondria and the NAPDH-associated reduction of oxidized glutathione, without any evident detrimental effects on performance.
Publication Date: 2021-10-30 PubMed ID: 34829610PubMed Central: PMC8615093DOI: 10.3390/antiox10111739Google 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 examines the effects of two antioxidant supplements, N-Acetyl Cysteine and Coenzyme Q10, on muscle antioxidants and proteome in racehorses. Through experimentation, researchers identified a significant increase in muscle redox capacity following intense exercise when the horses were supplemented, potentially improving performance without apparent negative impacts.
Experiment Methodology
- The study involved seven thoroughbred horses in peak fitness, on which the researchers conducted a placebo and randomized cross-over trial. This design ensures each horse serves as its own control, reducing variables.
- The researchers administered oral coenzyme Q10 and N-Acetyl-Cysteine to the horses for 30 days.
- They collected muscle biopsies from the gluteal muscle the day before maximal exercise and one hour afterward.
- In each muscle sample, measurements were taken for glutathione (GSH), cysteine, coenzyme Q10, and reactive oxygen species (ROS).
- The research team also analyzed the activities of three key enzymes present in the muscles: citrate synthase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase.
Findings
- Glutathione levels significantly increased post-exercise in the supplemented group, while concentrations and activities of other antioxidants remained constant.
- Using a TMT proteomic analysis, which measures changes in protein abundance, researchers identified changes in 40 out of 387 proteins detected. These alterations included:
- The upregulation of 13 mitochondrial proteins (those involved in the TCA cycle and NADPH production)
- The upregulation of 4 Z-disc proteins linked to muscle contraction
- The downregulation of 9 glycolytic proteins involved in the breakdown of glucose for energy
- These protein alterations suggest changes in energy metabolism and muscle function after supplement administration.
Implications of the Study
- Supplementation of N-Acetyl Cysteine and Coenzyme Q10 could potentially improve exercise performance in horses by enhancing muscle redox capacity after intensive exercise. This effect results from an increase in glutathione concentrations and an increase in proteins critical to the movement of glutathione into mitochondria, which are the energy-generating powerhouses of the cells.
- Notably, the study found no apparent negative effects on the horses’ performance from the supplements.
- These findings may guide further research into improving performance of not just horses but potentially other mammals, including humans.
Cite This Article
APA
Henry ML, Velez-Irizarry D, Pagan JD, Sordillo L, Gandy J, Valberg SJ.
(2021).
The Impact of N-Acetyl Cysteine and Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Skeletal Muscle Antioxidants and Proteome in Fit Thoroughbred Horses.
Antioxidants (Basel), 10(11), 1739.
https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10111739 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
- Kentucky Equine Research, Versailles, KY 40383, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Grant Funding
- N/A / McPhail Equine Endowment, Michigan State University
- N/A / Kentucky Equine Research, Versailles, KY
- N/A / Martha Wolfson Endowment, Michigan State University
Conflict of Interest Statement
Joe Pagan, a co-author, is the president of KER. He was involved in randomized design, owned horses used in the study, and provided all the product supplementation and funding for care and feeding of the subjects, as well as partially funded some of the analyses. Pagan had no role in skeletal muscle data analysis and interpretation. He did review the manuscript prior to submission. KER commercially offers CoQ10 for sale to horse owners.
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Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Deng X, Wu Y, Hu Z, Wang S, Zhou S, Zhou C, Gao X, Huang Y. The mechanism of ferroptosis in early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage.. Front Immunol 2023;14:1191826.
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