{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,8]],"date-time":"2026-07-08T15:58:20Z","timestamp":1783526300671,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,25]],"date-time":"2025-04-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1745539200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Oxidative stress (OS) occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the body\u2019s antioxidant defenses, causing damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA. In marine mammals, physiological adaptation to aquatic life conditions, such as prolonged and repeated dives resulting in cycles of hypoxia followed by reperfusion, is associated with increased production of ROS. This study examines the relationship between oxidative stress, muscular stress, and metabolic damage in the blood serum of eleven captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), six males and five females. This relationship is investigated using oxidative stress markers (d-ROMs, OXY, and Oxidative Stress index, OSi) and biochemical parameter measurements, including glucose (GLU), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Pearson\u2019s sex correlation was performed, and males exhibited significantly higher pro-oxidant levels than females, suggesting a potential protective role of female hormones. Also, a positive correlation between pro-oxidants and antioxidants has been observed in relation to age, as older dolphins produced more ROS but also exhibited higher antioxidant capacity, likely to compensate for oxidative damage. Results show no significant correlation between biochemical parameters and oxidative stress markers. However, a moderately positive correlation between LDH and antioxidant (OXY) capacity was observed (r = 0.458), suggesting a possible association between tissue turnover and antioxidant defenses. The results indicate that the biochemical markers analyzed are not strong predictors of oxidative stress in bottlenose dolphins. However, the correlation between LDH and antioxidant capacity suggests that tissue turnover may affect antioxidant defenses. This is a preliminary study, and further research is needed to clarify these relationships in order to better understand physiological adaptations in dolphins and their implications for management, health, and welfare.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani15091215","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,25]],"date-time":"2025-04-25T06:10:13Z","timestamp":1745561413000},"page":"1215","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Assessing Bottlenose Dolphins\u2019 (Tursiops truncatus) Health Status Through Functional Muscle Analysis, and Oxidative and Metabolic Stress Evaluation: A Preliminary Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-0966-9130","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Claudia","family":"Gatta","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2312-8192","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eugenio Luigi","family":"Iorio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universidade Federal de Uberl\u00e2ndia, Faculdade de Medicina, Programa de P\u00f3s-gradua\u00e7\u00e3o em Ci\u00eancias da S\u00fade, Rua Cear\u00e1 - Umuarama, Uberl\u00e2ndia 38402-018, Minas Gerais, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-1616-837X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carla","family":"Genovese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Zoomarine, Via dei Romagnoli, 00071 Torvaianica, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3306-6669","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Barbara","family":"Biancani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessandro","family":"Mores","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Zoomarine, Via dei Romagnoli, 00071 Torvaianica, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-8903-1165","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniele","family":"La Monaca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Zoomarine, Via dei Romagnoli, 00071 Torvaianica, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9753-5452","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chiara","family":"Caterino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1773-4716","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luigi","family":"Avallone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7664-2531","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Guillermo J.","family":"Sanchez-Contreras","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Zoomarine, Via dei Romagnoli, 00071 Torvaianica, Italy"},{"name":"The Dolphin Company, Banco Chinchorro 87, Canc\u00f9n 77504, Quintana Roo, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7185-7402","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Immaculata","family":"De Vivo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. 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