Abstract
Simple SummaryPregnancy is a period of increased metabolic processes, which can lead to the formation of oxidative stress. The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of the altered metabolic state on the effectiveness of the antioxidant profile of plasma and saliva during the pregnancy of cows. In addition, we aimed to compare these biological fluids concerning their usefulness as possible markers of the physiological course of pregnancy. The results showed dynamic changes depending on the period of pregnancy course and revealed that the increase in oxidative intensity induced an appropriate answer of the organism. However, taking into account examined antioxidant/oxidative parameters, saliva reflects the content of plasma only in part, due to the local metabolism of the salivary gland. Therefore, further studies are necessary to establish physiological ranges of antioxidative/oxidative profiles of body fluids in cows.Increased metabolism that occurs during pregnancy can result in oxidative stress which is harmful to cells and, consequently, for the proper functioning of the whole organism. Plasma and recently also saliva are important resources for evaluating physiological and pathological conditions in animals. The study aimed to investigate the influence of the metabolic state on the effectiveness of the antioxidant profile of plasma and saliva during the pregnancy of cows. Seventy-six healthy pregnant and twelve non-pregnant control cows were included in the study. Blood and saliva samples were collected each month of the pregnancy course. Examined body fluids were used to evaluate both the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the oxidative parameters related to protein and lipid peroxidative processes. TAC, the content of hydroperoxides, and SH groups were determined spectrophotometrically while formylokinurenine and bityrosine contents were measured spectrofluorimetrically. The results showed dynamic changes depending on the period of pregnancy course. The highest antioxidant activity in plasma was mostly noted in early pregnancy and advanced pregnant cows. All tested parameters except SH groups expressed higher values in saliva compared to plasma. Obtained results reveal that the increase in oxidative intensity induced appropriate answers of cells reflected in the increase in antioxidative activity of the organism. Moreover, some examined parameters can indicate the intensity of oxidative stress and therefore could be used in a panel of markers of the physiological course of pregnancy. However, with regards to antioxidant/oxidative parameters, saliva reflects the content of plasma only in part, due to the local metabolism of the salivary gland. Further studies are necessary to establish physiological ranges of antioxidative/oxidative profiles in cows and to define the usefulness of saliva as biological material in oxidative stress diagnostics.
Highlights
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are intermediates that are formed during metabolic changes
With regards to antioxidant/oxidative parameters, saliva reflects the content of plasma only in part, due to the local metabolism of the salivary gland
The control group reached the value of 3.04 ± 0.337 μmol/g protein and was significantly (p < 0.05) lower compared to the first month of pregnancy
Summary
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are intermediates that are formed during metabolic changes. They are constantly produced in the body and in small quantities are involved in the regulation of some physiological processes [1]. The well-known ROS that are generated as by-products of metabolism by biological systems are superoxide radicals (O2 − ), hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ), hydroxyl radicals (OH), and singlet oxygen (1 O2 ) [2]. The balance between ROS formation and neutralization is controlled by the antioxidant systems of the body [4]. In a state of physiological equilibrium, the body has sufficient reserves of antioxidants necessary to neutralize free radicals. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic defense mechanisms neutralize ROS through various biochemical reactions [4,5]. Albumins that are considered to be the major circulating non-enzymatic antioxidants prevent the production of free radicals by binding free metal ions [7]
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