Short Road Transport and Slaughter Stress Affects the Expression Profile of Serotonin Receptors, Adrenocortical, and Hematochemical Responses in Horses.

Horse transport is considered a cause of stress in animals and is known to affect the 5-HT concentrations in both the brain and other tissues. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of horse transportation and slaughter stress on plasma serotonin's concentration and the expression levels of the related 5-HT1B and 5-HT2A receptors in PBMCs. Furthermore, the IL-12 levels and a variety of blood parameters, including triglycerides, total cholesterol, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, were also considered.

Assessment of selected molecular factors and 17-β estradiol dosage in response to infection in swine.

Background And Aim: is a global zoonotic parasite infecting virtually all warm-blooded species, although a species-specific variability is evident referring to symptoms frame. Both the success of and the outcome of infection depend on a delicate balance between host cellular pathways and the evasion or modulation strategies elicited by the parasite. The hormonal and molecular mechanisms involved in this delicate host-parasite balance are still unclear, especially when considering intermediate host species other than mouse.

Physical Exercise Affects Serotoninergic System in Horse Leukocytes.

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) may induce metabolic effects in different cell types, including leukocytes. In horses, 5-HT is involved in physiological and behavioral functions. Physical exercise is known to increase the amounts of 5-HT both in brain and periphery, but so far, the signal mechanism in response to exercise is not known.

The Influence of Training and Simulated Race on Horse Plasma Serotonin Levels.

Exercise represents a physical stress that challenges homeostasis affecting central and peripheral serotoninergic systems. The influence of the exercise on circulating serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) levels depends on training state as well as the exercise protocol. The purpose of the present research was to determine changes of plasma 5-HT in sport horses in response to training (T) and simulated race (SR) and in addition to assess the possible presence of significant differences on circulating 5-HT between two different sessions of exercise.

Age-related functional changes of total thyroid hormones and glycosaminoglycans in growing calves.

Background And Aim: During the physiological growing, thyroid and proteoglycan glycosaminoglycan (GAG) changes dynamically occur, according to genetic and non-genetic factors. The purpose of this research was to compare the effects of early postnatal development (10 days) until 210 days of life on the triiodothyronine (T), thyroxine (T), the relative T:T ratio, and GAGs profile, and to define the different reference intervals of the calf's development through the various growing phases.

Materials And Methods: The effect of growing on total thyroid hormones and GAG profiles was studied from 10 days to 210days of age in 64 clinically healthy Brown calves, 30males and 34females.

The effect of on plasma serotonin concentration in sheep.

Background And Aim: is an intracellular parasite that commonly infects warm-blooded animals, including humans. Virtually all species can be infected, but a species-specific variability is evident, in terms of both type and severity of the symptoms encountered. As serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) plays an important regulatory role in both physiological and immune responses, the aim of this research was to assess whether toxoplasmosis disease could affect plasma 5-HT concentration and/or hematochemical parameters in a particularly susceptible species to infection as sheep.

Changes in plasma 5-HT levels and equine leukocyte SERT expression in response to treadmill exercise.

Serotonin (5-HT) is a neurohormone transported from plasma into platelets and leukocytes by a specific transporter (SERT). While it is known that the brain 5-HT system is modulated by physical exercise, the peripheral serotoninergic response to exercise is not yet fully elucidated. In particular, this study aimed to evaluate changes in plasma 5-HT levels and equine leukocyte SERT expression in response to treadmill exercise in untrained horses.

Phospholipid composition of plasma and erythrocyte membranes in animal species by 31P NMR.

The aim of this study was to provide basal values of phospholipid (PL) composition in different animal species by 31P NMR analysis using detergents. This fast and accurate method allowed a quantitative analysis of PLs without any previous separation. Plasma and erythrocyte membrane PLs were investigated in mammals (pig, cow, horse).

Transient increase with strenuous exercise of plasma levels of glycosaminoglycans in humans and horses.

Plasma glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were isolated and purified by chromatographic procedures in healthy humans and horses before and after physical exercise. A weak anion exchange resin was used to separate polyanions. Humans exercised on a cycloergometer, while horses were exercised on a treadmill and in show jumping competition.

TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-1beta modulate hyaluronan synthase expression in human skin fibroblasts: synergistic effect by concomital treatment with FeSO4 plus ascorbate.

Several reports have shown that a number of cytokines such as tumor necrosis-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and interleukin-beta (IL-1beta) are capable to induce hyaluronan sinthases (HASs) mRNA expression in different cell culture types. The obvious consequence of this stimulation is a marked increment in hyaluronan (HA) production. It has been also reported that oxidative stress, by itself, may increase HA levels.

Purified human chondroitin-4-sulfate reduced MMP/TIMP imbalance induced by iron plus ascorbate in human fibroblast cultures.

Imbalance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) is an important control point in tissue remodelling. Several findings have reported a marked MMP/TIMP imbalance in a variety of in vitro models in which oxidative stress was induced. Since previous studies showed that commercial hyaluronan and chondroitin-4-sulphate are able to limit lipid peroxidation during oxidative stress, we investigated the antioxidant capacity of purified human plasma chondroitin-4-sulfate in reducing MMP and TIMP imbalance in a model of ROS-induced oxidative injury in fibroblast cultures.

Purified human plasma glycosaminoglycans limit oxidative injury induced by iron plus ascorbate in skin fibroblast cultures.

A number of studies in vivo and in vitro showed that high levels of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are found as a consequence of free radical damage. The GAG over production may represent an endogenous mechanism capable to limit oxidative damage. Based on these hypotheses, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant property of GAGs of human origin in fibroblast cultures.

Reduction of DNA fragmentation and hydroxyl radical production by hyaluronic acid and chondroitin-4-sulphate in iron plus ascorbate-induced oxidative stress in fibroblast cultures.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), components of extracellular matrix, are thought to play important roles in cell proliferation and differentiation in the repair process of injured tissue. Oxidative stress is one of the most frequent causes of tissue and cell injury and the consequent lipid peroxidation is the main manifestation of free radical damage. It has been found to play an important role in the evolution of cell death.

The antioxidant and antifibrogenic effects of the glycosaminoglycans hyaluronic acid and chondroitin-4-sulphate in a subchronic rat model of carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrogenesis.

Hepatic fibrosis involves the interplay of many factors including reactive oxygen species. Recent reports described antioxidant properties of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Since several findings have shown that hyaluronic acid (HYA) and chondroitin-4-sulphate (C4S) may act as antioxidant molecules, the aim of this research was to evaluate the antioxidant effects of HYA and C4S treatment in a rat model of liver fibrosis.

Administration of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin-4-sulfate limits endogenous antioxidant depletion and reduces cell damage in experimental acute pancreatitis.

Several reports have described a loss of endogenous antioxidants and molecular oxidative damage during acute pancreatitis. Since hyaluronic acid and chondroitin-4-sulfate possess antioxidant properties, the effect of the administration of these glycosaminoglycans in a cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats was investigated. Cerulein administration produced pancreatic edema and a marked increase in serum lipase and amylase activity; induced a severe depletion of reduced glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase levels; primed lipid peroxidation; and promoted neutrophil intervention.

Glycosaminoglycans reduce oxidative damage induced by copper (Cu+2), iron (Fe+2) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in human fibroblast cultures.

Acid glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) antioxidant activity was assessed in a fibroblast culture system by evaluating reduction of oxidative system-induced damage. Three different methods to induce oxidative stress in human skin fibroblast cultures were used. In the first protocol cells were treated with CuSO4 plus ascorbate.

Hyaluronic acid and chondroitin-4-sulphate treatment reduces damage in carbon tetrachloride-induced acute rat liver injury.

Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of chemically mediated liver injury. Since glycosaminoglycans possess antioxidant activity, the aim of this work was to assess the protective effects of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin-4-sulphate treatment in a model of carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury. Liver damage was induced in male rats by an intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (1 ml/kg in vegetal oil).

Efficacy of treatment with glycosaminoglycans on experimental collagen-induced arthritis in rats.

To evaluate the antioxidant activity of the glycosaminoglycans hyaluronic acid (HYA) and chondroitin-4-sulphate (C4S), we used a rat model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Arthritis was induced in Lewis rats by multiple intradermal injections of 250 microl of emulsion containing bovine type II collagen in complete Freund's adjuvant at the base of the tail and into three to five other sites on the back. Rats were challenged again with the same antigen preparation 7 days later.