Fluctuations of Physiological Variables during Conditioning of Lipizzan Fillies before Starting under Saddle.

Scientific studies on the physiological responses of young horses to workloads are limited. Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine the basal values of some cardiovascular, thermoregulatory, hematological, and biochemical parameters in 10 purebred Lipizzan fillies aged 4 years in the initial phase of training, and their responses to a graded workload, i.e., by lunging for 15 min in four exercise tests at 2-week intervals. The basal values of the measured parameters were within a range for warm-blooded horses and mostly increased after exercise in all four exercise tests. Resting heart rates were above physiological values at the baseline but decreased as the study progressed. Bilateral symmetry of body surface temperatures (BSTs) was confirmed at rest and after exercise. The highest BSTs were measured at the cranial, followed by the caudal and distal body regions. A moderate increase in cortisol and a small increase in lactate concentration indicated a low intensity of workload. The results presented contribute to the knowledge of the complex physiological processes that occur in young horses during exercise and provide a basis for further research into the field of sports physiology and welfare, as well as the conservation and development of the Lipizzan breed.

Effects of Vitamin E and Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Oxidative Stress Parameters in Untrained Leisure Horses Subjected to Acute Moderate Exercise.

The effects of antioxidant supplements on exercise-induced oxidative stress have not been investigated in untrained leisure horses. We investigated the effects of 14-day supplementation with vitamin E (1.8 IU/kg/day), coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10; ubiquinone; 800 mg/day), and a combination of both (the same doses as in mono-supplementation) on the blood levels of CoQ10, vitamin E, and oxidative stress parameters in untrained leisure horses subjected to acute moderate exercise. Correlations between lipid peroxidation and muscle enzyme leakage were also determined. Forty client-owned horses were included in the study, with 10 horses in each of the antioxidant and placebo (paraffin oil) groups. Blood parameters were measured before supplementation, before and immediately after exercise, and after 24 h of rest. The differences in individual parameters between blood collection times and groups were analysed with linear mixed models (p ˂ 0.05). None of the supplemented antioxidants affected vitamin E and CoQ10 concentrations, oxidative stress parameters, or serum muscle enzymes. Lipid peroxidation occurred in horses supplemented with placebo and CoQ10 but not in horses supplemented with vitamin E or the combination of both antioxidants. These results suggest that vitamin E alone or in combination with CoQ10 prevented lipid peroxidation in untrained leisure horses subjected to acute moderate exercise.

Endogenous plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration does not correlate with plasma total antioxidant capacity level in healthy untrained horses.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential cofactor in the mitochondrial electron transport pathway, and is also the only known endogenously synthesized lipid-soluble antioxidant. The aim of the present study was to determine, for the first time, endogenous plasma CoQ10 concentration and its correlation with plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and serum total cholesterol (TC) in a population of healthy untrained horses. Thirty-one horses were included in the study. Plasma CoQ10 concentration ranged from 0.380 to 2.090 mg/L, which is in general agreement with plasma CoQ10 concentration in humans. The study demonstrated no significant correlation between plasma CoQ10 and TAC, which indicates that CoQ10 does not contribute to the TAC of equine plasma significantly. In contrast to humans, no significant correlation was found between CoQ10 and TC in investigated horses. The results warrant further studies on CoQ10 supplementation in healthy untrained horses and subsequent determination of correlations between CoQ10 and TAC.

Nanoparticles isolated from blood: a reflection of vesiculability of blood cells during the isolation process.

BACKGROUND: Shedding of nanoparticles from the cell membrane is a common process in all cells. These nanoparticles are present in body fluids and can be harvested by isolation. To collect circulating nanoparticles from blood, a standard procedure consisting of repeated centrifugation and washing is applied to the blood samples. Nanoparticles can also be shed from blood cells during the isolation process, so it is unclear whether nanoparticles found in the isolated material are present in blood at sampling or if are they created from the blood cells during the isolation process. We addressed this question by determination of the morphology and identity of nanoparticles harvested from blood. METHODS: The isolates were visualized by scanning electron microscopy, analyzed by flow cytometry, and nanoparticle shapes were determined theoretically. RESULTS: The average size of nanoparticles was about 300 nm, and numerous residual blood cells were found in the isolates. The shapes of nanoparticles corresponded to the theoretical shapes obtained by minimization of the membrane free energy, indicating that these nanoparticles can be identified as vesicles. The concentration and size of nanoparticles in blood isolates was sensitive to the temperature during isolation. We demonstrated that at lower temperatures, the nanoparticle concentration was higher, while the nanoparticles were on average smaller. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that a large pool of nanoparticles is produced after blood sampling. The shapes of deformed blood cells found in the isolates indicate how fragmentation of blood cells may take place. The results show that the contents of isolates reflect the properties of blood cells and their interaction with the surrounding solution (rather than representing only nanoparticles present in blood at sampling) which differ in different diseases and may therefore present a relevant clinical parameter.

Isolated microvesicles from peripheral blood and body fluids as observed by scanning electron microscope.

Microvesicles are sub-micron structures shed from the cell membrane in a final step of the budding process. After being released into the microenvironment they are free to move and carry signaling molecules to distant cells, thereby they represent a communication system within the body. Since all cells shed microvesicles, it can be expected that they will be found in different body fluids. The potential diagnostic value of microvesicles has been suggested, however, a standardized protocol for isolation has not yet been agreed upon. It is unclear what is the content of the isolates and whether the isolated microvesicles were present in vivo or-have they been created within the isolation procedure. To present evidence in this direction, in this work we focus on the visualization of the material obtained by the microvesicle isolation procedure. We present scanning electronic microscope images of microvesicles isolated from blood, ascites, pleural fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, postoperative drainage fluid and chyloid fluid acquired from human and animal patients. Vesicular structures sized from 1microm downto 50nm are present in isolates of all considered body fluids, however, the populations differ in size and shape reflecting also the composition of the corresponding sediments. Isolates of microvesicles contain numerous cells which indicates that methods of isolation and determination of the number of microvesicles in the peripheral blood are to be elaborated and improved.