Effects of Training on Phagocytic and Oxidative Metabolism of Peripheral Neutrophils in Horses Exercised in the Aerobic–Anaerobic Transition Area

Abstract

Using simple techniques, the neutrophil function, in its phagocytosis and oxidative metabolism stages, was evaluated in horses. This was done before and after moderate exercise at the aerobic–anaerobic threshold (standardized heart rate 150 beats/min and lactate level of 3.07±0.21 mmol/L). The objective was to determine whether regular training and moderate exercise improved the neutrophil function. A group of 19 horses was used; 11 of these were untrained and the remainder trained for national jumping events. The exercise test consisted of a 5 min trot followed by a 3 min gallop on a long lunge. Blood samples were taken for analysis before, immediately after and 15 min after exercise. The results showed that (a) there is a difference in the internalization of particles (PI, PP and PE) by neutrophils from trained and untrained horses at a single time point during active recovery, and PP is higher in trained horses immediately after exercise; and (b) oxidative metabolism is significantly lower in untrained animals before and 1 min after exercise. The moderate exercise at the aerobic–anaerobic threshold did not have any influence on the peripheral blood neutrophil function of the phagocytosis and oxidative metabolism of particles.