Factors affecting milk cortisol in mid lactating dairy cows

BACKGROUND

Whether the measurement of cortisol in dairy cows can be used as a biomarker of adverse environmental or pathophysiological conditions is still under of scientific debate. In these situations, several systems mainly the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the autonomic nervous system, and the immune system are recruited to reestablish homeostasis. A first aim of the present study was to compare milk and blood cortisol concentrations and to consider its variability in milk in relation to farm, milk yield and days in milk. A second study investigates the effects of breed, class of somatic cell count (SCC) and farm on milk cortisol levels in a larger number of cows and farms, with the aim to validate the results obtained in the pilot study.

METHODS

For study 1, 135 cows were sampled from 2 Italian Simmental and 2 Italian Holstein commercial farms, whilst in the second study, 542 cows were sampled from 6 commercial farms of Italian Simmental and 499 cows from 4 commercial farms of Italian Holstein.

RESULTS

In study 1, the values of cortisol content in milk were significantly higher in Holstein than Simmental cows. Significant differences between farms were observed for milk and plasma cortisol concentrations. Cortisol content in milk was not correlated to plasma content in study 1 and the mean milk to plasma cortisol ratio was about 1:30. In study 2, for Holstein cows, significantly higher values of milk cortisol in comparison to Simmental cows was reported. A significant effect of class of SCC was observed, cows belonging to class 3 (SCC higher than 400.000/ml) showed the highest mean values of milk cortisol. The farm effect was significant also in the study 2, confirming the results obtained in the first study.

CONCLUSIONS

Milk can be considered a preferential site of sampling in dairy cows to point out short term stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Further studies are needed to investigate the physiological basis of the relationship between milk cortisol content and breed, milk yield and SCC to ascertain the relevance of milk cortisol to monitor the healthy status of mammary gland.

Effects of Two Different Rhodiola rosea Extracts on Primary Human Visceral Adipocytes

Rhodiola rosea (Rro) has been reported to have various pharmacological properties, including anti-fatigue, anti-stress and anti-inflammatory activity. It is also known to improve glucose and lipid metabolism, but the effects of Rhodiola rosea on adipocyte differentiation and metabolism are not still elucidated. In this study the anti-adipogenic and lipolytic activity of two extracts of Rhodiola rosea, containing 3% salidroside (RS) or 1% salidroside and 3% rosavines (RR) on primary human visceral adipocytes was investigated. Pre-adipocytes were analyzed after 10 and 20 days of treatment during differentiation and after 7 days of treatment when they reached mature shape. The RS extract significantly induced higher apoptosis and lipolysis in comparison to control cells and to RR extract. In contrast, RR extract significantly reduced triglyceride incorporation during maturation. Differentiation of pre-adipocytes in the presence of RS and RR extracts showed a significant decrease in expression of genes involved in adipocyte function such as SLC2A4 and the adipogenic factor FGF2 and significant increase in expression of genes involved in inhibition of adipogenesis, such as GATA3, WNT3A, WNT10B. Furthermore RR extract, in contrast to RS, significantly down-regulates PPARG, the master regulator of adipogenesis and FABP4. These data support the lipolytic and anti-adipogenetic activity of two different commercial extracts of Rhodiola rosea in primary human visceral pre-adipocytes during differentiation.

Effects of Rosmarinus officinalis extract on human primary omental preadipocytes and adipocytes

The prevalence of obesity is increasing all over the world. Although it has been shown that natural substances influence fat metabolism, little is known about the effect on cellular and molecular mechanisms in human. In this in vitro study, the activity of Rosmarinus officinalis (RO) standardized extract in modulating human primary visceral preadipocytes differentiation, lipolysis, and apoptosis was investigated. Moreover, gene expression of key adipogenesis modulators and microRNAs-seq were evaluated. Preadipocytes treated with RO extract significantly reduced triglyceride incorporation during maturation in a dose-dependent manner without affecting cell viability. In addition, RO extract stimulated lipolytic activity in differentiating preadipocytes and mature adipocytes in treated cells compared to controls. Differentiating preadipocytes incubated in the presence of RO extract showed a decreased expression of cell cycle genes such as cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (p21, Cip1) and an increased expression of GATA binding protein 3, wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 3A mRNA levels. Recent studies have demonstrated that some phytochemicals alter the expression of specific genes and microRNAs that play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of obesity and related diseases. Interestingly, genes modulated in RO-treated cells were found to be validated miRNAs targets, such as let-7f-1, miR-17, and miR-143. The results indicated that RO extract modulates human adipocyte differentiation and significantly interferes with adipogenesis and lipid metabolism, supporting its interest as dietary supplement.

Effect of plant extracts on H2O2-induced inflammatory gene expression in macrophages

Background

Arctium lappa (AL), Camellia sinensis (CS), Echinacea angustifolia, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Panax ginseng (PG), and Vaccinium myrtillus (VM) are plants traditionally used in many herbal formulations for the treatment of various conditions. Although they are well known and already studied for their anti-inflammatory properties, their effects on H₂O₂-stimulated macrophages are a novel area of study.

Materials and methods

Cell viability was tested after treatment with increasing doses of H₂O₂ and/or plant extracts at different times of incubation to identify the optimal experimental conditions. The messenger (m)RNA expression of TNFα, COX2, IL1β, NFκB1, NFκB2, NOS2, NFE2L2, and PPARγ was analyzed in macrophages under H₂O₂ stimulation. The same genes were also quantified after plant extract treatment on cells pre-stimulated with H₂O₂.

Results

A noncytotoxic dose (200 μM) of H₂O₂ induced active mRNA expression of COX2, IL1β, NFE2L2, NFκB1, NFκB2, NOS2, and TNFα, while PPARγ was depressed. The expression of all genes tested was significantly (P<0.001) regulated by plant extracts after pre-stimulation with H₂O₂. COX2 was downregulated by AL, PG, and VM. All extracts depressed IL1β expression, but upregulated NFE2L2. NFκB1, NFκB2, and TNFα were downregulated by AL, CS, PG, and VM. NOS2 was inhibited by CS, PG, and VM. PPARγ was decreased only after treatment with E. angustifolia and E. senticosus.

Conclusion

The results of the present study indicate that the stimulation of H₂O₂ on RAW267.4 cells induced the transcription of proinflammatory mediators, showing that this could be an applicable system by which to activate macrophages. Plant extracts from AL, CS, PG, and VM possess in vitro anti-inflammatory activity on H₂O₂-stimulated macrophages by modulating key inflammation mediators. Further in vitro and in vivo investigation into molecular mechanisms modulated by herbal extracts should be undertaken to shed light on the development of novel modulating therapeutic strategies.

Effect of Arctium lappa (burdock) extract on canine dermal fibroblasts

Although the biological activities of Arctium lappa (burdock) have been already investigated in human and other species, data evaluating the molecular mechanisms have not been reported in the dog. In this study we analyzed for the first time the effect of a root extract of burdock on molecular responses in canine dermal fibroblasts with H2O2 stimulation (H group), with burdock treatment (B group) and with H2O2 stimulation and burdock treatment (BH group), using RNAseq technology. Differentially expressed genes (P<0.05) of H, B and BH groups in comparison to the untreated sample (negative control, C group) were identified with MeV software and were functional annotated and monitored for signaling pathways and candidate biomarkers using the Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA). The expression profile of canine dermal fibroblasts treated with burdock extract with or without H2O2 stimulation, showed an up-regulation of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD2), disheveled 3 (DVL3) and chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2 (CSGALNACT2). The data suggested that burdock has implications in cell adhesion and gene expression with the modulation of Wnt/β catenin signaling and Chondroitin Sulphate Biosynthesis that are particularly important for the wound healing process.

Administration of botanicals with the diet regulates gene expression in peripheral blood cells of Sarda sheep during ACTH challenge

The aim of the present research was to investigate the regulation of gene expression in ovine blood leukocytes during ACTH-induced cortisol release and the effect of dietary administration of botanicals to counteract the evoked response in polymorphonucleate cells (PMNCs). Thirty-six homogeneous Sarda sheep (age, 18±4.1 mo; BW, 38.7±1.3 kg) were allotted to six groups of six sheep each. One group was used as a negative control (Saline) and five groups were treated, every 12 h for 48 h, with 0.5 mL of ACTH agonist (250 μg/mL of tetracosactrin). Before ACTH treatment, four of the five ACTH-treated groups were separated and fed for 22 d with a basal diet supplemented with extracts from Echinacea angustifolia roots (PO+ACTH), Echinacea angustifolia flowers (EA+ACTH), Andrographis paniculata (AP+ACTH), and the bark of Larix decidua milled (LB+ACTH). Control groups (Saline and ACTH) were fed with the same basal diet without botanicals. Total RNA was extracted from blood samples collected before (T0) and after 3 h (T3) and 51 h (T51) from the first ACTH injection, and transcriptome analysis was performed using a custom oligoarray, designed from 12,194 Ovis aries UniGenes on a CombiMatrix platform. At T3, treatment with ACTH caused down-regulation of transcripts (P<0.001) involved in "response to stress" (GADD45A, GADD45B, WRNIP1, and XRCC6) and in "innate immune response" (MAPK3 and NFkBIB). At T51, treatment with ACTH caused down-regulation (P<0.001) of genes involved in "immune response" (IFNG and IL2) and up-regulation (P<0.001) of NF-κB1 and TP53. Each botanical produced a different (P<0.001) molecular signature for these genes at T3 and T51. The most active botanical in modulating transcriptome modifications in PMNCs after ACTH-induced cortisol release was Larix decidua Mill bark followed by Polinacea roots. These botanicals can be viewed as promising feed supplements in ruminants to cope with conditions associated with increased concentrations of plasma cortisol.

Transcriptome modification of white blood cells after dietary administration of curcumin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in osteoarthritic affected dogs

The dietary effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or curcumin on the gene expression of peripheral white blood cells in osteoarthritis (OA) affected dogs was investigated using a 44K oligo microarray. Two groups of OA dogs and one group of healthy dogs (6 dogs each) were clinically evaluated and blood was sampled before (T0) and after 20days (T20) of dietary administration of NSAID (NSAID group) or curcumin (CURCUMIN group). Differentially expressed genes (P<0.05) in comparison to the control group were identified with MeV software and were functional annotated and monitored for signaling pathways and candidate biomarkers using the Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA). After 20days of treatment, the differentially expressed transcripts significantly (P<0.05) decreased from 475 to 173 in NSAID group and from 498 to 141 in CURCUMIN group. Genes involved in "inflammatory response" and in "connective tissue development and function" dramatically decreased at T20. Other genes, included in "cellular movement", "cellular compromise" and "immune cell trafficking", were differentially expressed at T0 but not at T20 in both groups. Specific molecular targets of CURCUMIN, not observed for NSAID, were the IkB up regulation in the "TNRF1 signaling pathway" and IL18 down regulation in the "role of cytokines in mediating communication between immune cells". The activity of CURCUMIN was also evidenced from the inhibition of macrophages proliferation (HBEGF), related to a strong down regulation of TNFα and to activation of fibrinolysis (SERPINE1). The results would suggest that curcumin offers a complementary antinflammatory support for OA treatment in dogs.

Muscle transcriptome profiling in divergent phenotype swine breeds during growth using microarray and RT-PCR tools

Using an array consisting of 10 665 70-mer oligonucleotide probes, the longissimus dorsi muscle tissue expression during growth in nine pigs belonging to Casertana (CT), an autochthonous breed characterized by slow growth and a massive accumulation of backfat, was compared with that of two cosmopolitan breeds, Large White (LW) and a crossbreed (CB; Duroc × Landrace × Large White). The results were validated by real-time PCR. All animals were of the same age and were raised under the same environmental conditions. Muscle tissues were collected at 3, 6, 9 and 11 months of age, and a total of 173 genes showed significant differential expression between CT and the cosmopolitan genetic types at 3 months of age. Time series cluster analysis indicated that the CT breed had a different pattern of gene expression compared with that of the LW and the CB. Four of the eight clusters highlighted the gene differences between CT and the other two breeds, which were further supported by statistical analyses: clusters 4 and 5 contained a total of 71 genes that were underexpressed at 3 months of age, and cluster 3 and cluster 7 included 28 and 42 genes respectively that were overexpressed at 3 months of age. As expected, differentially expressed genes belonged to the category of genes coding for contractile fibres and transcription factors involved in muscle development and differentiation. These findings highlight muscle expression genes during pig growth and are useful to understand the genetic meaning of the different developmental rates.