Modulatory roles of ergothioneine on heat shock protein-70, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, and rectal temperatures of Arabian stallions following race of 2000 m in a hot-dry environment

Adakole Adah; Joseph Ayo; Peter Rekwot; Tagang Aluwong; Deborah Adah

Modulatory roles of ergothioneine on heat shock protein-70, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, and rectal temperatures of Arabian stallions following race of 2000 m in a hot-dry environment

2022

Adakole Adah | Joseph Ayo | Peter Rekwot | Tagang Aluwong | Deborah Adah

Experiments were performed to determine the effect of ergothioneine on rectal temperature and the serum concentrations of heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in stallions following a race of 2000 m in a hot-dry environment. Eighteen stallions weighing approximately 400 kg each were used for the experiment. They were divided into three groups of six stallions each. Group I (EEX) was the experimental group that was administered ergothioneine (0.5 mg/kg per os), while group II (EEC) did not receive ergothioneine before exercise. The third group (EEN) was neither administered ergothioneine nor exercised. The dry-bulb temperature and the relative humidity of the experiment were determined for six days and on the day of the experiment. The temperature-humidity index was also calculated. Rectal temperature, serum HSP-70, and TNF-α concentrations of all horses were measured before commencement, immediately after, and 2 h after the exercise. The dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity which showed diurnal fluctuations increased significantly (p < 0.05) between 06.00 h and 12.00 h (22.6 ± 1.23 and 38.6 ± 6.5, respectively). Serum TNF-α and HSP-70 levels of the stallions in the EEX group were higher than the values obtained in the EEC and EEN groups (p < 0.05). The values of rectal temperature obtained were lower (p < 0.05) in the EEX group than in the other groups. Therefore, it could be concluded that ergothioneine modulated rectal temperature, as well as TNF-α and HSP-70 concentrations in the stallions, and might be beneficial to horses during exercise.

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