The Level of Thiol-Oxidised Plasma Albumin Is Elevated Following a Race in Australian Thoroughbred Horses.
Abstract: The extent to which muscle strain or tears are affecting race performance in horses is unknown because it is difficult to objectively identify muscle damage. One approach includes the use of physiological markers in blood. Recently, we linked the level of plasma thiol-oxidised albumin, an oxidative stress biomarker, to muscle damage in humans. Objective: This aim of this work was to investigate whether the level of plasma thiol-oxidised albumin was elevated in the days following a thoroughbred horse race. Methods: 'In vivo' experiments. Methods: Blood collection was performed by each trainer at their respective stable. Dried blood samples were collected for the level of thiol-oxidised albumin before and each day for 7 days post-race. Liquid blood samples were collected for analysis of the muscle enzymes creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate amino transferase (AST) before and on Day 2 and 5 post-race and were analysed by external pathology centre. Results: The level of thiol-oxidised albumin peaked at 2 days post-race, increasing by 3.9 ± 0.7% (p < 0.0001) and returned to pre-race levels by Day 5. Thiol-oxidised albumin also correlated with the activity of AST (R = 0.2, p = 0.01). The time of recovery for thiol-oxidised albumin varied between individual horses, some recovered at Day 3 post-race whereas others extended beyond 7 days post-race. Conclusions: No histological or imaging diagnosis was conducted to confirm that horses with elevated levels of thiol-oxidised albumin also had definitive evidence of muscle damage. The activity of CK and AST was not measured daily, as was the case for the level of thiol-oxidised albumin. Conclusions: The level of thiol-oxidised albumin has the potential to be useful in managing recovery and return to training or competition in horse following a bout of damaging exercise, particularly given the ease of collecting small serial small blood samples.
© 2025 The Author(s). Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Publication Date: 2025-07-11 PubMed ID: 40644475PubMed Central: PMC12249229DOI: 10.1002/vms3.70487Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The study investigates the levels of thiol-oxidised albumin in thoroughbred racehorses after a race. The authors aim to determine if this oxidative stress marker, which has been linked to muscle damage in humans, can be used to detect muscle strain or damage in racehorses.
Objective
- The main objective of this research was to examine whether the plasma level of thiol-oxidised albumin, an oxidative stress biomarker, was elevated in thoroughbred horses in the days after a race.
Methodology
- Experimental data was collected ‘in vivo.’
- Each trainer performed blood collection at their own stable.
- Dried blood samples were gathered daily for a week post-race to monitor the levels of thiol-oxidised albumin.
- Liquid blood samples were also collected pre-race and on Day 2 and Day 5 post-race to analyse muscle enzymes creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate amino transferase (AST). An external pathology centre carried out this analysis.
Result
- The quantity of thiol-oxidised albumin peaked two days after the race, showing a significant increase, and returned to pre-race levels by Day 5.
- There was a correlation between the levels of thiol-oxidised albumin and the activity of the muscle enzyme AST.
- The recovery time for thiol-oxidised albumin varied among individual horses; some recovered by Day 3 post-race, while for others, it extended beyond Day 7 post-race.
Conclusions
- The study did not directly establish muscle damage using histology or imaging for the horses showing elevated levels of thiol-oxidised albumin.
- The muscle enzymes CK and AST were not measured daily, unlike thiol-oxidised albumin.
- The researchers concluded that the level of thiol-oxidised albumin could potentially serve as useful data in managing recovery and deciding when a horse could return to training or competition following strenuous exercise.
Cite This Article
APA
James C, Lloyd EM, Arthur PG.
(2025).
The Level of Thiol-Oxidised Plasma Albumin Is Elevated Following a Race in Australian Thoroughbred Horses.
Vet Med Sci, 11(4), e70487.
https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.70487 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Proteomics International, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses / blood
- Horses / physiology
- Serum Albumin / metabolism
- Sulfhydryl Compounds / metabolism
- Male
- Biomarkers / blood
- Female
- Australia
- Creatine Kinase / blood
Grant Funding
- Proteomics International
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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