Acute phase proteins and biomarkers of oxidative status in feline spontaneous malignant mammary tumours

Acute phase proteins (APP) and biomarkers of oxidative status change in human and canine mammary tumours, however, they have not been studied in feline mammary tumours. The aims of this study were to investigate the APP and antioxidant responses in feline malignant mammary tumours, to evaluate their relation with tumour features, and to assess their prognostic value. Serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), albumin, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), insulin‐like growth factor1 (IGF1), paraoxonase1 (PON1), total serum thiols (Thiol), glutathione peroxidase (GPox) and total antioxidant capacity determined by different assays, including trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assessed by two different methodologies (TEAC1/2), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), were determined in serum of 50 queens with spontaneous mammary carcinomas and of 12 healthy female cats. At diagnosis, diseased queens presented significantly higher SAA and Hp, and lower albumin, BChE, GPox, TEAC1, TEAC2 and CUPRAC than controls. Different tumour features influenced concentrations of APP and antioxidants. Increases in serum Hp, and decreases in albumin, Thiol and FRAP were significantly associated with neoplastic vascular emboli, metastasis in regional lymph nodes and/or in distant organs. Distant metastasis development during the course of the disease was associated with increases in SAA and TEAC1. At diagnosis, decreased albumin was associated with a longer survival, and BChE <1.15 μmoL/mL.minute was associated with a shorter survival time on multivariate analysis. Feline malignant mammary tumours are associated with an APP response and oxidative stress, and different tumour features influence the inflammatory response and the oxidative damage. Furthermore, some of these analytes proved to have prognostic value.     

Relationship between paraoxonase 1 activity and high density lipoprotein concentration during naturally occurring babesiosis in dogs

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is a negative acute phase protein bound to high density lipoproteins (HDL) and during the acute phase response (APR) protects HDL from peroxidation. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between PON1 and HDL in canine babesiosis, a disease characterized by oxidative damages and by an APR. PON1, HDL and C-reactive protein (CRP), were measured in blood collected from 15 controls and 29 dogs with babesiosis sampled at admission, and on days 1 and 7 after treatment. At admission, PON1 and HDL were significantly lower in affected dogs. HDL concentration increased at day 1 while PON1 increased and CRP decreased at day 7. This suggests that the decrease of PON1 at admission is in part due to an increased consumption, the decreased HDL may depend on lipid peroxidation and its rapid increase after treatment may depend on the antioxidant activity of PON1.     

Serial determination of biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status in dogs with naturally occurring gastric dilatation-volvulus

Objective: To serially determine the biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status of dogs with gastric dilatation‐volvulus (GDV) over 48 hours. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Veterinary teaching hospital intensive care unit. Animals: Thirteen client‐owned dogs with GDV. Interventions: None. Measurement and main results: For all dogs, biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status were ascertained. Indicators of oxidative stress measured included F_2α‐isoprostanes (isoprostanes) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) were measured to assess antioxidant status. Oxidants and antioxidants were measured at the time of admission and at 24 and 48 hours post‐admission. There were significant decreases in vitamin E (P=0.002), vitamin C (P=0.001), ORAC (P=0.02), and MDA (P=0.001) during hospitalization. There was no significant change in GSHPx and isoprostane concentrations over time. Conclusion: Oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity in dogs with GDV change over time. Further studies measuring oxidative stress in more severely affected dogs and performing measurements earlier in the disease process may be beneficial in determining when oxidative stress is most severe during the course of GDV management.     

Cutaneous immune mechanisms in canine leishmaniosis due to Leishmania infantum

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) caused by the parasite Leishmania infantum is a systemic disease with variable clinical signs. The disease is endemic in the Mediterranean countries and dogs are the main domestic reservoir of the parasite. The quite complicated immune response against the parasite is crucial for the evolution of CanL infection with the skin playing a major role in its immunopathogenesis.After the inoculation of Leishmania promastigotes into the dermis by sand fly bites, complement factors, Langerhan's cells, neutrophils, fibroblasts and keratinocytes are involved in the activation of the innate arm of the skin immune system, with the macrophages and dendritic cells to play a major key role.The effective activation of cellular immunity is the cornerstone of dog's resistance against the parasite. Promastigotes reaching the dermis are engulfed, processed and transferred by APCs to draining lymph nodes to stimulate naïve T-cells for proliferation and differentiation into armed effector T-cells. Th1 cells activate the infected macrophages to kill Leishmania, whereas Th2 cells divert the immune response to humoral immunity and down regulation of cellular immunity with Th1 cell anergy. Inhibition of co-stimulatory molecules expression by infected macrophages contributes to T-cell anergy. In canine subclinical infections cutaneous lymphocytic infiltrate and parasites are absent, as opposed to dogs with clinical leishmaniosis. CD8+ cells constitute a significant population of cellular immunity in CanL since they outnumber CD4+ cells in the dermis, producing IFN-γ in sub clinically infected dogs and high levels of IL-4 in dogs with clinical leishmaniosis.Numerous B-lymphocytes have been shown to heavily infiltrate the dermis at least in exfoliative dermatitis in CanL. A mixed Th1/Th2 cytokine profile has been found in the dermis of naturally infected with L. infantum dogs. In the skin of dogs with clinical leishmaniosis, where plasma cells outnumber T lymphocytes in the dermal infiltrate, there is an overproduction of IL-4, IL-13 and TNF-α leading to Th2-biased humoral immune response. The issue of humoral immunity polarization in CanL remains controversial. Much still needs to be learned about other mechanisms underlying the complex interaction between the skin immune system and the parasite.     

Antioxidant Status and Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Dogs with Lymphoma

Background: Oxidative stress might play a role in carcinogenesis, as well as impacting morbidity and mortality of veterinary cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate antioxidant concentrations and biomarkers of oxidative stress in dogs with newly diagnosed lymphoma before treatment and once in remission, with comparison with healthy controls.
Hypothesis: Dogs with lymphoma have increased oxidant and reduced antioxidant concentrations compared with healthy controls, and that these abnormalities normalize once remission is achieved.
Animals: Seventeen dogs with lymphoma and 10 healthy controls.
Methods: Prospective, observational study. Measures of oxidative stress [malondialdehyde and total isoprostanes (isoP)] and antioxidants [α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx)] were assessed in dogs with newly diagnosed lymphoma before treatment compared with healthy control dogs. The same parameters were measured in the dogs with lymphoma on week 7 of the chemotherapy protocol when all dogs were in remission.
Results: At baseline, dogs with lymphoma had significantly lower α-tocopherol ( P <.001) and γ-tocopherol ( P = .003) but higher GSHPx ( P = .05), ORAC ( P = .001), and isoP ( P < .001) compared with healthy controls. In the dogs with lymphoma, α-tocopherol concentrations were higher ( P = .005) and ascorbic acid were lower ( P = .04) after treatment.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Results suggest that dogs with lymphoma have alterations in oxidant and antioxidant concentrations and that the status of some of these biomarkers normalize after remission. Further studies are warranted to determine whether antioxidant interventions to correct these are beneficial in the treatment of canine lymphoma.     

Fish oil supplementation improved liver phospholipids fatty acid composition and parameters of oxidative stress in male wistar rats

In the present study, we examined the effects of fish oil supplementation in 3 months old male Wistar rats on changes in plasma and liver lipid metabolism and oxidative stress parameters. Twenty Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups of ten animals: control group and intervention group, treated for 6 weeks with fish oil capsules containing 45 mg eicosapentanoic acid and 30 mg docosahexanoic acid. After intervention, biochemical parameters in plasma [triglycerides (TG), low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) and total cholesterol, urea, creatinine and uric acid], fatty acid (FAs) profile of liver phospholipids and parameters of oxidative stress in liver [activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase and paraoxonase (PON1), concentration of nitrites, lipid peroxidation (LPO), free thiol (SH) groups and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) izoenzymes were determined. Treatment with fish oil improved FAs profile of liver phospholipids, increasing n‐3 FAs and decreasing n‐6/n‐3 ratio. Significant decrease in plasma TG and LDL concentration, and increase in the level of HDL and uric acid were found in intervention group at the end of the study. Catalase activity, LPO, and nitrites concentration in liver were significantly decreased, after the supplementation, together with elevated PON1 activity. Applied treatment significantly improved plasma lipid profile, liver FAs composition and parameters of oxidative stress in male Wistar rats.     

Serum ferritin and paraoxonase-1 in canine leishmaniosis

Ferritin and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) were measured in dogs experimentally infected by Leishmania infantum (during experimental infection and following treatment) and also in naturally-infected dogs which presented different degrees of proteinuria. Experimentally-infected dogs were monitored for 7 months post-infection, then treated for 3 months with allopurinol, and their response to therapy was followed for 11 additional months. Naturally-infected dogs were staged based on the urine protein/creatinine (UPC) ratio into three groups as follows: group 1 (non-proteinuric; UPC ratio: <0.2), group 2 (borderline proteinuric; UPC ratio: 0.2–0.5) and group 3 (proteinuric; UPC ratio >0.5). An increase in serum ferritin values and a decrease in PON-1 activity were observed 2 months after infection. Both analytes returned to preinfection values following treatment. Significantly higher concentrations of ferritin were observed in dogs classified as either borderline or proteinuric when compared with non-proteinuric dogs whereas serum PON-1 activity was decreased only in proteinuric dogs.     

A systematic review of the efficacy of prophylactic control measures for naturally-occurring canine leishmaniosis,part I: Vaccinations

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is an important zoonotic disease; however, the efficacy of available vaccines for the prevention of naturally-occurring Leishmania infantum (L. infantum) infection in dogs remains unclear.     

Recent advances in leishmaniosis in pet animals: epidemiology, diagnostics and anti-vectorial prophylaxis

The leishmanioses are diseases caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, parasites infecting numerous mammal species, including humans, and transmitted by the bite of phlebotomine sand flies. They are a large group of diseases ranging over inter-tropical zones of America and Africa, and extend into temperate regions of Latin America, Europe and Asia. Pet animals are found infected with different Leishmania species but Leishmania infantum is the most widespread being dogs the main reservoir of zoonotic visceral leishmaniosis (ZVL). Dogs are very susceptible to this parasite and may suffer from a complex syndrome, canine leishmaniosis (CanL), one of the major zoonoses globally causing severe fatal disease in this animal. Infections in cats and horses have also been reported in areas where CanL is diagnosed. In Europe dogs and cats are common companion animals and their health is of great concern, therefore management of leishmaniosis in pets generally follows that of human ZVL. The recent spread of Leishmania infections in non-endemic territories has been monitored by means of canine surveys, which represent a suitable approach because of the dog's role as a sentinel host. New tools have been developed for the surveillance and control of ZVL. A number of insecticide-based preparations have been specifically registered for dog protection against sand fly bites, with elevated efficacy for both individual and mass protection.     

Paraoxonase activity as a tool for clinical monitoring of dogs treated for canine leishmaniasis

This study was designed to determine if the activity of paraoxonase (PON1), an antioxidant enzyme that works as a negative acute phase reactant, is a better predictor for the clinical recovery of leishmaniotic dogs receiving standard treatments compared with inflammatory markers such as C reactive protein (CRP) and electrophoretic fractions. For this purpose we tested 20 healthy dogs (controls) and 39 leishmaniotic dogs classified as sick (group A, n = 23) or severely sick (group B, n = 16) and tested at admission and after 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days.At admission, CRP and electrophoresis were altered in both groups, while PON1 activity was abnormal only in group B. There were no differences related to the outcome (mortality, complications or time of recovery). PON1 activity normalized in about 2 weeks in dogs that had abnormal values at admission and a final positive outcome; CRP normalized in 4–6 weeks and electrophoretic fractions were still altered after 6 weeks. The results show that, at admission, inflammatory markers did not predict the outcome of leishmaniasis. PON1 activity decreased only in some dogs with systemic inflammation but not in those with mild leishmaniasis: when decreased, PON1 normalized earlier than other markers in dogs that responded to treatment. This finding most likely depends on the rapid decrease in oxidative phenomena. PON1 activity should therefore be tested on admission: if low values are recorded, severe inflammation may be suspected and PON1 measurement may be repeated during treatment to early identify responsive dogs.     

山奈酚对三硝基丙酸诱导氧化应激胎鼠的影响

试验旨在研究山奈酚对三硝基丙酸诱导亲代小鼠氧化应激从而对子代胎鼠氧化应激和抗氧化能力的作用。42只亲代小鼠分为3组:对照组、氧化应激模型组、抗氧化剂组,试验重复3次。测定妊娠20 d后的子代胎鼠肝脏、肺脏和心脏3个器官中的总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)活力、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)活力、总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)、丙二醛(MDA)含量和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活力。结果显示,山奈酚显著代偿降低子代胎鼠心、肝、肺相关抗氧化酶的活力(P<0.05),显著降低氧化应激产物的含量(P<0.05)。研究表明,山奈酚对于由三硝基丙酸诱导的亲代小鼠氧化应激模型的子代胎鼠氧化应激情况具有一定的抗氧化作用。     

One-year clinical and parasitological follow-up of dogs treated with marbofloxacin for canine leishmaniosis

The purpose of this international, multicentric, and non-comparative field trial was to obtain complementary data on long-term clinical and parasitological follow-up of dogs treated with marbofloxacin for canine leishmaniosis (CanL). Seventy-four dogs with clinical signs of CanL and without severe renal failure were recruited in France, Spain and Italy, and 61 of them were part of the analysis. Each dog was treated with palatable tablets of marbofloxacin at 2 mg/kg once a day for 28 days. A clinical and parasitological follow-up was performed regularly up to 12 months. Efficacy was demonstrated in 42 dogs (68.9%), within 51 days (mean value), 10 of them (23.8%) being clinically cured after 3 months. A decrease of 61% in the sum of clinical scores was observed after 3 months. Haemato-biochemical parameters improved in general, supporting the observed clinical efficacy. Relapse was observed in 20/38 dogs (52.6%) approximately 5.5 months after treatment completion. The blood parasite load generally developed in conformity with the clinical outcome, even if exceptions were not rare. Lymph nodes remained positive by culture or PCR for a long time, even in dogs for which a good clinical response was observed. Despite the incomplete parasite clearance, as is also the case with other anti-leishmanial drugs, these results nevertheless confirm the relevance of marbofloxacin as a CanL treatment.     

Oxidative Stress Biomarkers and Erythrocytes Hemolysis in Well-Trained Equine Athletes Before and After Exercise

The chronic exposure to regular exercise training seems to increase resistance to oxidative stress and improves the antioxidant defense system. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of an exercise test of moderate intensity on oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidant enzymes activity, and osmotic resistance of erythrocytes in well-trained equine athletes. Eighteen middle-aged horses of Ukrainian warmblood (8.3 ± 1.6 years) and Holsteiner (7.4 ± 1.9 years) breeds were used in this study. All horses have been in regular training for several years. The exercise test induced a significant increase of erythrocyte values, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit in horses of both breeds. Regular training induces activation the antioxidant enzymes and thereby can reduce oxidative stress in athletic horses. Our results suggest that the exercise test in horses of both breeds attenuates oxidative stress and accompanied with a significant decrease of lipid peroxidation and oxidatively modified proteins in erythrocytes after exercise. The findings of the present study demonstrated the elevated level of erythrocytes' catalase and glutathione reductase in Ukrainian warmblood horses, as well as decreased level of superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase in Holsteiner horses reporting changes in levels of exercise-induced oxidative stress biomarkers in horses of both breeds. Statistically significant differences in the percentage of hemolyzed erythrocytes between pre-exercise and postexercise tests were observed and thereby signifying an oxidative stress-dependent impairment of erythrocyte stability. Our data suggest that oxidative stress and enzymatic antioxidant defense biomarkers can be used for the monitoring of fitness level, health benefits, and performance of equine athletes.     

Secretory carcinoma of the mammary gland in an 8-year-old Holstein-Friesian dairy cow

This study was conducted to examine the oxidative stress biomarkers in a cow diagnosed with a follicular cyst in her left ovary. Progesterone (P4) and plasma oxidative stress status was measured in 13 Holstein cows after synchronization of oestrus with controlled internal drug release (CIDR) and prostaglandinF2α (PGF2α) protocol. The presence and size of ovarian structures were monitored by transrectal ultrasound at 4 hourly intervals. Of the 13 cows, 12 were monitored until ovulation was detected and recorded, whereas one cow failed to ovulate and developed a follicular cyst. Oxidative stress biomarkers; reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), biological antioxidant potential (BAP), oxidative stress index (OSI), glutathione (GSH), ceruloplasmin and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) were measured in the cystic cow and compared to those of the 12 ovulated cows and are referred to as higher or lower if they are outside the mean ± standard error of mean of those of ovulated cows. The cystic cow had lower ROMs and OSI between 36 and 84 h after PGF2α injection and at 9 h, from 36 to 60 h after PGF2α injection respectively. On the other hand, antioxidant (BAP and GSH) was higher in the cystic cow compared to her ovulated herd mates. The observed imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant might have disrupted the physiological events for ovulation to occur, leading to cystic ovarian disease.     

Gender Differences of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers and Erythrocyte Damage in Well-Trained Horses During Exercise

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of gender differences on the blood oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidant defenses, and resistance of erythrocytes to hemolytic agents of trained horses before and after exercise. The study was carried out on nine mares and 14 stallions of Ukrainian Warmblood well-trained horses, involved in jumping, eventing, and dressage. Oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidant defenses, and osmotic resistance of erythrocytes were assessed. Trained stallions showed a decrease in lipid peroxidation and higher glutathione reductase activity, whereas mares presented a higher superoxide dismutase activity after exercise. The resistance of erythrocytes was similar in female and male. No statistically significant differences were observed in the percentage of hemolyzed erythrocytes between after and before exercise. A correlation between the oxidative stress biomarkers and antioxidant defenses in the stallions after exercises were observed, which may indicate a protective response of superoxide dismutase and catalase against exercise-induced oxidative stress.     

铜对梭鱼草叶片保护酶活性、抗氧化物质及非蛋白巯基肽含量的影响

以溶液培养法研究了不同浓度(0、5、10、20 mg·L-1)铜处理下梭鱼草(Pontederia cordata)叶片抗氧化酶活性、抗氧化物质及非蛋白巯基化合物含量的变化,明确铜处理下梭鱼草叶片细胞氧化还原状态的调控活性,为揭示梭鱼草对铜处理的耐性与解毒机制提供理论基础。结果表明:随铜浓度增加和处理时间延长,叶片丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)含量呈上升趋势,超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(ascorbate peroxidase,APX)、谷胱甘肽还原酶(glutathione reductase,GR)活性均呈先上升后下降趋势,过氧化物酶(peroxidase,POD)、脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶(dehydroascorbate reductase,DHAR)活性均呈上升趋势,而较长时间铜处理导致过氧化氢酶(catalase,CAT)活性显著下降(P<0.05)。铜处理初期可诱导叶片中抗坏血酸(ascorbic acid,AsA)的积累,而低浓度铜(≤10 mg·L^-1)对叶片脱氢抗坏血酸(dehydroascorbic acid,DHA)含量无显著影响(P>0.05)。随胁迫时间延长,叶片非蛋白巯基总肽(total non-protein thiol,NPT)、谷胱甘肽(glutathione,GSH)含量增加,植物螯合肽(phytochelatins,PCs)含量则呈先上升后降低趋势。低浓度(≤10 mg·L^-1)、短时间铜处理可以增强梭鱼草叶片细胞氧化还原状态的调控活性,提高细胞抗氧化胁迫能力,增强植株对铜处理的耐性。然而,这种促进效应会被较高浓度、较长时间铜处理破坏。     

Gill oxidative stress and histopathological biomarkers of pollution impacts in Nile tilapia from Lake Mariut and Lake Edku, Egypt

Various oxidative stress and histopathological biomarkers in gill tissues of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus were investigated. Fish were collected from four sites that differ in their extent of pollution load, including heavy metals: the southeast basin (SEB), main basin (MB), and northwest basin (NWB) of Lake Mariut; and Boughaz El-Maadiya, a channel in Lake Edku. The oxidative stress biomarkers that were analyzed included lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione redox cycle enzymes (glutathione peroxidase [GPx] and glutathione reductase [GR]). Levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) were also evaluated. Gill morphology was analyzed by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Gill LPO was significantly higher in gill tissues of fish collected from the more heavily contaminated MB (40.0%) and NWB (51.4%) sites than in gill samples from the less-contaminated (reference) site, the SEB. Gill LPO in fish from Lake Edku was intermediate but was not significantly higher (17.1%) than the reference. The activities of antioxidant enzymes and the redox-sensitive thiol compound GSH were significantly lower in gill samples from the disturbed sites than in samples from the reference site. Specifically, SOD in MB, NWB, and Lake Edku samples; CAT and GPx in NWB samples; and GR activity and GSH content in MB and NWB samples were lower than those in SEB samples. In most cases, gill tissues from Lake Edku fish had intermediate levels of antioxidants. The main histopathological alterations observed in gills were epithelial lifting, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the respiratory epithelium, lamellar fusion, and aneurysms. In addition, SEM results demonstrated transformation of the surface structure of epithelial pavement cells. Pathological reactions in the gills of Nile tilapia were most severe at the MB and NWB sites. Our findings suggest that Nile tilapia responded differently according to the environmental stress index in each sampling area. This study is the first to report gill oxidative stress and histopathologies in Nile tilapia from Egyptian aquatic environments.     

Antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage determination in synovial fluid of chronically damaged equine metacarpophalangeal joint

In order to determine oxidative stress in equine joints with degenerative processes, we analyzed synovial fluid (SF) antioxidant capacity and the concentration of oxidative damage biomarkers in healthy and chronically damaged metacarpophalangeal joints. SF samples were collected from joints of thirty 2–5 year-old crossbreed male equine, macroscopically classified at post mortem inspection and later histologically confirmed. The antioxidant capacity was determined measuring uric acid and the concentration of sulfhydryl groups and the total radical trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP). The oxidative damage was determined by assessing malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonyl protein concentration. TRAP was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the group with chronic damage (CD). The sulfhydryl groups and concentration of uric acid did not show significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05). Although carbonyl concentration did not show significant difference between groups, it was slightly higher in the group with CD (p = 0.05009). Concentration of MDA did not show significant difference (p > 0.05) between groups. The observed significant increase in TRAP in the group with CD could be related to the participation of components other than protein, sulfhydryl groups, or uric acid coming from degenerating joint tissues. These findings could be helpful for a better understanding of the oxidative stress role in equine joints with chronic degenerative process.     

Comparison between some oxidative Stress Biomarkers values in serum and plasma of clinically healthy adult camels (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Camelus dromedarius</Emphasis>) in Iran

In this study, we measured some oxidative stress biomarkers, MDA and total thiol groups content in plasma along by this parameters in serum and Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) of camels. The present study was undertaken first to establish a background of free radical damage status and second to comparison these levels in serum and plasma. To accomplish this, blood samples from 50 male Dromedary clinically healthy adult camels aged 24–48 months were collected. The correlation between serum and plasma levels was calculated for MDA and total thiol groups content. Our results revealed that only lipid peroxides in serum could be useful to predict the oxidative stress in plasma significantly (P ≤ 0.05).     

Antioxidant compounds and oxidative stress in female dogs during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a physiological period during which different metabolic pathways are altered, resulting in greater oxygen consumption and modifications of the consumption of energy substrates, with a consequent greater exposure to oxidative stress. The objective of the present study was to determine and describe the serum profile of some antioxidant biomarkers and of oxidative stress markers during pregnancy in healthy dogs. Twenty nonpregnant (NP) and 20 pregnant (P) female dogs were studied. Serum samples were obtained from the animals during the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th weeks of pregnancy or during diestrus for the dosage of antioxidant molecules (vitamin E, vitamin A, zinc and magnesium) and oxidative stress markers (TBARS and carbonyl protein). The results revealed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between the P and NP groups during the 3rd and 5th week for vitamins A and E (NP>P), and between the 1st and 3rd week for magnesium (NP>P). The other parameters did not differ between weeks within the same group or between groups. The present study shows that the levels of antioxidant molecules of pregnant dogs differed from that of nonpregnant dogs. These mechanisms may represent a protection against oxidative stress during this period for this species, a fact that definitely deserves further study. Also, the participation of other protective mechanisms and the interference of the fetal-placental unit with oxidative stress are still unknown.