Strategie per la definizione di nuovi marker dello stress da esercizio fisico nel cavallo atleta.

The definition of suitable new markers to measure the effects of physical exercise is one of the goals of equine medicine aimed at improving current diagnostic procedures based on classic parameters (such as lactate, creatine kinase and lactate ehydrogenase etc) which are inadequate for early diagnosis, raining levet tests and recognition of sub-clinical conditions. The iscovery of increased free radical production induced by exercise suggested the introduction of new biomarkers related to oxidative stress. In particular our attention was focused on glutathione GSH) and homocysteine (Hcy). Although GSH increases after exercise it returns to its normal level in a few hours when the animal is at rest. On the other hand, Hcy plasma levels increased by exercise remain high for a long period. The use of this thiol as plasma marker requires a normal reference range for horses and this we determined. In order to get a global over-view of all the effects of exercise-induced stress on metabolic, hormonal and immune systems we decided to apply the new frontier of “OMIC” science, i.e.proteomic methodology. Proteomics provides the large-scale characterization of the entire protein complement of a cell, tissue or organism. In place of the classic biochemistry approach, which is focused on specific parameters, proteomics offers a total definition of all systems studied.. It could be the best tool for early diagnosis and for the understanding of mutagenic pathologies. In particular we analysed the protein pattern of horse plasma during an endurance race by using 2D electrophoresys. The above pattern showed significant differences in the number of proteic spots obtained; these spots are currently undergoing mass spectrometry identification. These results, although preliminary, suggest that the proteomic approach could help the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in adaptation to omeostasis variations induced by exercise.