Biomarkers of inflammation, metabolism, and oxidative stress in blood, liver, and milk reveal a better immunometabolic status in peripartal cows supplemented with Smartamine M or MetaSmart

Abstract

The peripartal dairy cow experiences a state of reduced liver function coupled with increased inflammation and oxidative stress. This study evaluated the effect of supplementing basal diets with rumen-protected Met in the form of MetaSmart (MS) or Smartamine M (SM) (both from Adisseo Inc., Antony, France) during the peripartal period on blood and hepatic biomarkers of liver function, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Thirty-seven multiparous Holstein cows were fed the same basal diet from -50 to -21 d relative to expected calving [1.24 Mcal/kg of dry matter (DM); no Met supplementation]. From -21 d to calving, the cows received diets (1.54 Mcal/kg of DM) with no added Met (control, CON; n=13), CON plus MS (n=11), or CON plus SM (n=13). From calving through 30 d in milk (DIM), the cows received the same postpartal diet (1.75 Mcal/kg of DM; CON), or CON plus MS or CON plus SM. Liver and blood samples were harvested at various time points from -21 to 21 d relative to calving. Preplanned contrasts of CON versus SM + MS during prepartum (-21 and -10 d before calving) and postpartum (7, 14, and 21 d after calving) responses were evaluated. Cows fed MS or SM compared with CON had lower overall concentrations of plasma ceruloplasmin and serum amyloid A (SAA). Compared with CON, Met-supplemented cows had greater overall plasma oxygen radical absorbance capacity. Liver concentrations of glutathione and carnitine also were greater overall with Met supplementation. Milk choline and liver phosphatidylcholine were lower overall in cows fed Met compared with controls. Liver tissue choline concentrations did not differ. Data indicate that supplemental Met enhanced de novo glutathione and carnitine synthesis in liver and, thus, increased antioxidant and β-oxidation capacity. The greater decrease of IL-6 after calving coupled with lower ceruloplasmin and SAA in Met-supplemented cows indicated a reduction in proinflammatory signaling within liver. The lower hepatic phosphatidylcholine in Met-supplemented cows might have been associated with greater assembly or export of very low density lipoproteins. Overall, biomarker analyses in blood and tissue indicate that the beneficial effect of feeding SM and MS on postpartal cow performance is due in part to a better immunometabolic status.

Methionine supply during the periparturient period enhances insulin signaling, amino acid transporters, and mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway proteins in adipose tissue of Holstein cows

“…The periparturient or "transition" period is the most challenging of the production cycle of dairy cows. During this period cows undergo great immunometabolic changes and are more susceptible to a heightened state of oxidative stress and inflammation Sordillo and Raphael, 2013;Osorio et al, 2014b). A state of insulin resistance (Sordillo and Raphael, 2013;De Koster et al, 2018) designed to limit glucose utilization by tissues such as adipose and muscle (Zhai et al, 2010) also characterizes the transition period.…”

Methionine and choline supply alter transmethylation, transsulfuration, and cytidine 5′-diphosphocholine pathways to different extents in isolated primary liver cells from dairy cows

“…Dietary Met and Chol supplementation around parturition in rumen-protected form increased milk yield and milk protein concentration (Sales et al, 2010;Osorio et al, 2013;Zhou et al, 2016c), and Met improved immunometabolic status in dairy cows during the peripartal period (Osorio et al, 2014b;Zhou et al, 2016a). Furthermore, compared with Chol, greater supply of Met resulted in increased antioxidant concentration in liver tissue in spite of lower concentration of PC (Zhou et al, 2017).…”

Effects of rumen‐protected methionine on milk production in early lactation dairy cattle fed with a diet containing 14.5% crude protein

“…Osorio et al. () and Sun et al. () reported that dietary supplementation with RPMet improves immune function.…”