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-The hematological and biochemical parameters are useful tools for clinics and feeding management of athlete equines. The population of high performance horses consists of different breed groups, displaying specific phenotypic and metabolic characteristics related to the type of sport activity they perform. In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in the South of Brazil, racing, jumping, polo, endurance, reigning, and dressage are the main activities. This study investigated the hemato-biochemical parameters in three high performance horse breeds from Southern Brazil. A total number of 154 horses belonging to the breeds Thoroughbred, Brasileiro de Hipismo, and Criollo, were selected for this study. Within each breed, samples were collected from males (n=12) and non-pregnant females (n=12) of two ages: 1 to 3 years of age (n=12) and over five years of age (n=12). Hematological (total count of erythrocytes and leukocytes, blood cell volume, hemoglobin, and differential count of leukocytes) and biochemical (lactate, fructosamine, glucose, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, globulins, fibrinogen, urea, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and enzymes LDH, AST, GGT, and CK) parameters were analyzed. Significant differences were observed in hematological and biochemical parameters, except for calcium and albumin, among breeds. There was no significant effect of age or sex within breed. This study shows that the local population, the breed and the type of sport activity are important variables to be considered in the analysis of blood parameters of horses.

The Th1/Th2 balance represents an important factor in the pathogenesis of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). In addition, IRI causes a systemic inflammation that can affect other tissues, such as the lungs. To investigate the ability of renal IRI to modulate pulmonary function in a specific model of allergic inflammation, C57Bl/6 mice were immunized with ovalbumin/albumen on days 0 and 7 and challenged with an ovalbumin (OA) aerosol on days 14 and 21. After 24 h of the second antigen challenge, the animals were subjected to 45 minutes of ischemia. After 24 h of reperfusion, the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, blood and lung tissue were collected for analysis. Serum creatinine levels increased in both allergic and non-immunized animals subjected to IRI. However, BAL analysis showed a reduction in the total cells (46%) and neutrophils (58%) compared with control allergic animals not submitted to IRI. In addition, OA challenge induced the phosphorylation of ERK and Akt and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in lung homogenates. After renal IRI, the phosphorylation of ERK and expression of COX-2 and iNOS were markedly reduced; however, there was no difference in the phosphorylation of Akt between sham and ischemic OA-challenged animals. Mucus production was also reduced in allergic mice after renal IRI. IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 were markedly down-regulated in immunized/challenged mice subjected to IRI. These results suggest that renal IRI can modulate lung allergic inflammation, probably by altering the Th1/Th2 balance and, at least in part, by changing cellular signal transduction factors.