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

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.