Natural Antibodies Related to Energy Balance in Early Lactation Dairy Cows

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the presence of natural antibodies (NAb) in plasma and milk of individual dairy cows and to study the relation between NAb concentrations and energy balance (EB) and dietary energy source. Cows (n = 76) were fed a mainly glucogenic, lipogenic, or a mixture of both diets (50:50 dry matter basis) from wk 3 before the expected calving date until wk 9 postpartum. Diets were isocaloric (net energy basis) and equal in intestinal digestible protein. Blood and milk were sampled weekly. Liver biopsies were taken in wk -2, 2, 4, and 6 relative to calving. Data are expressed as LSM +/- SEM. The NAb titers are expressed as the (2)log values of the highest dilution giving a positive reaction. The NAb concentration in plasma binding either keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased with parity. The NAb concentration binding KLH was greater for cows fed the glucogenic diet (9.63 +/- 0.08) compared with the lipogenic diet (9.26 +/- 0.08). In milk, cows fed the glucogenic diet had smaller NAb concentrations binding KLH (3.98 +/- 0.18) and LPS (2.88 +/- 0.17) compared with cows fed the mixed diet (KLH: 4.93 +/- 0.18; LPS: 3.70 +/- 0.17). The NAb concentration in plasma had a positive relation with energy balance variables: EB, dry matter intake, milk yield, and plasma cholesterol, whereas NAb concentration in milk had a negative relation with energy balance variables: EB, dry matter intake, and plasma cholesterol. Additionally, NAb concentrations in milk had a positive relation with plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentration and milk fat and protein percentage. There was a tendency for a positive relation of NAb concentration binding LPS in plasma and somatic cell count in milk. No significant relations were detected between NAb concentrations in milk or plasma and plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate concentration and liver triacyl glyceride content. In conclusion, NAb are present in both milk and plasma of dairy cows peripartum and NAb concentrations increase with parity. Furthermore, our data indicate that a negative energy balance in dairy cows in early lactation can be associated with compromised innate immune function as indicated by decreased NAb concentration in plasma.

Association of natural (auto-) antibodies in young gilts with osteochondrosis at slaughter

“…It is unknown whether a shorter time interval between estimation of N(A)Ab levels and exact moment of OC development and assessment in an individual animal would result in larger differences in titer points between affected and unaffected pigs. In correspondence with our study, other studies assessing systemic N(A)Ab antibody titers with a certain condition also often found less than 1 or 0.5 titer point differences in pigs (Schrama et al, 1997;Bolhuis et al, 2003;Reimert et al, 2014) and dairy cattle (van Knegsel et al, 2007;van Knegsel et al, 2012). These studies indicate that systemic differences in N(A) Ab levels, although small, can be associated to different aspects of the body or different disease status (Nagele et al, 2013).…”

“…The choice of antigens assessed was arbitrary as this was (to our knowledge) the first attempt to relate N(A)Ab with OC in pigs. The antigen KLH has been used frequently as a model antigen for general assessment of NAb titers within various species including pigs (Reimert et al, 2014), cattle (van Knegsel et al, 2007;van Knegsel et al, 2012), and chicken Star et al, 2007). Chondroitin sulfate A is a component of proteoglycans which is a major component of growth cartilage (Byers et al, 1992;Mourao, 1988;Cortes et al, 2009; and reviewed by Greenwald et al, 1978;Roughley, 2006;Kheir and Shaw, 2009).…”

“…Titers were calculated as described earlier (Frankena, 1987) and as used repeatedly (Schrama et al, 1997;Bolhuis et al, 2003;Lammers et al, 2004;Parmentier et al, 2004;Star et al, 2007;van Knegsel et al, 2007van Knegsel et al, , 2012Reimert et al, 2014). Briefly, the ODs of the standard controls were averaged and logit values of the ODs were calculated by taking the natural logarithm of the OD of a well divided by the maximum averaged OD of the standard controls (maxOD) minus the respective OD:…”

Natural (auto)antibodies in calves are affected by age and diet

“…Next to complement, natural antibodies (Nab) form an important arm of humoral innate immunity (Baumgarth et al 2005;Vani et al 2008). Nab are present in non-immunized humans (Ehrenstein & Notley 2010), fish (Katchamakova et al 2006), poultry (Sun et al 2011), and cattle (Van Knegsel et al 2007). In mammals, Nab are mostly produced by CD5C B cells in the peritoneal cavity and intestines, but CD5¡ B cells also produce Nab (Casali & Notkins 1989).…”

Effect of dietary inclusion of clinoptilolite on antibody production by dairy cows vaccinated against Escherichia coli

“…Given that the immune response in dairy cows is positively correlated with the energy balance of the animal during the transition period (Van Knegsel et al, 2007), a possible explanation is that clinoptilolite may improve the energy status of the heifers during the periparturient period. Evidence in literature supports that the dietary supplementation of clinoptilolite at the rate of 2.5% of the concentrate feed during the dry period improves the energy status of dairy cattle (Katsoulos et al, 2006) and goats (Katsoulos et al, 2009) around parturition.…”