Abstract
Glucose metabolism adapts to gestation and lactation in several species, including equine. This adaptation involves both progressive physiological development of insulin resistance in target tissues and the increase in insulin secretion by pancreatic cells. Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia along with obesity or increased regional adiposity are the three main components of Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), which has consequences in several systems leading to laminitis, fertility disturbances in mares and stallions, increased risk of dystocia and orthopedic diseases and angular deformities in foals from affected mares. In humans, it is well known that due to hematobiochemical adaptations of gestation, reference values in laboratory tests are different in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Because of some characteristics of this species, such as duration of gestation, possibility of non-invasive monitoring and longevity of the offspring, the pregnant mare is an excellent experimental model for biochemical studies in humans. In equine, no study has evaluated glucose tolerance, insulinemic response, as well as basal insulin throughout pregnancy. Therefore, reference values for diagnosing pregnant mare as resistant to insulin and/or having gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) do not exist. The objective of this project is to evaluate the basal concentrations of insulin, glucose, triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), cortisol, leptin, resistin, adiponectin, interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), cresty neck score (CNS), and subcutaneous fat thickness in mares during gestation (days 0, 55, 110, 165, 220, 275, 330) up to 21 days postpartum (lactation onset). Insulin and glucose curves will also be determined after glycemic challenge by oral glucose tolerance test. Insulin sensitivity will be determined using the reciprocal of the square root of insulin (RISQI) and the responsiveness of pancreatic cells to the modified insulin-to-glucose ratio (MIRG). This study aims to help elucidate physiological parameters regarding insulin and glucose dynamics, inflammatory cytokines and other metabolic markers in pregnant mares throughout gestation and establish reference values to enable the diagnosis and treatment of metabolic problems during pregnancy. (AU)
Scientific publications(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)
BELLI, C. B.;
FONTE, J. S.;
TORRES, L. N.;
GONDIN, M. R.;
MAIORKA, P. C.;
FERNANDES, C. B.
Mammary botryomycosis: two concomitant cases in mares: case report.
Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia,
v. 70,
n. 2,
p. 342-346,
MAR-APR 2018.
Web of Science Citations: 0.