Effects of colostrum versus formula feeding on hepatic glucocorticoid and α1- and β2-adrenergic receptors in neonatal calves and their effect on glucose and lipid metabolism

Abstract

Neonatal energy metabolism in calves has to adapt to extrauterine life and depends on colostrum feeding. The adrenergic and glucocorticoid systems are involved in postnatal maturation of pathways related to energy metabolism and calves show elevated plasma concentrations of cortisol and catecholamines during perinatal life. We tested the hypothesis that hepatic glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and α 1 -and β 2 -adrenergic receptors (AR) in neonatal calves are involved in adaptation of postnatal energy metabolism and that respective binding capacities depend on colostrum feeding. Calves were fed colostrum (CF; n = 7) or a milk-based formula (FF; n = 7) with similar nutrient content up to d 4 of life. Blood samples were taken daily before feeding and 2 h after feeding on d 4 of life to measure metabolites and hormones related to energy metabolism in blood plasma. Liver tissue was obtained 2 h after feeding on d 4 to measure hepatic fat content and binding capacity of AR and GR. Maximal binding capacity and binding affinity were calculated by saturation binding assays using [3 H]-prazosin and [ 3 H]-CGP-12177 for determination of α 1 -and β 2 -AR and [ 3 H]-dexamethasone for determination of GR in liver. Additional liver samples were taken to measure mRNA abundance of AR and GR, and of key enzymes related to hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism. Plasma concentrations of albumin, triacylglycerides, insulin-like growth factor I, leptin, and thyroid hormones changed until d 4 and all these variables except leptin and thyroid hormones responded to feed intake on d 4. Diet effects were determined for albumin, insulin-like growth factor I, leptin, and thyroid hormones. Binding capacity for GR was greater and for α 1 -AR tended to be greater in CF than in FF calves. Binding affinities were in the same range for each receptor type. Gene expression of α 1 -AR (ADRA1) tended to be lower in CF than FF calves. Binding capacity of GR was related to parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism, whereas β 2 -AR binding capacity was negatively associated with glucose metabolism. In conclusion, our results indicate a dependence of GR and α 1 -AR on milk feeding immediately after birth and point to an involvement of hepatic GR and AR in postnatal adaptation of glucose and lipid metabolism in calves.

Different milk feeding intensities during the first 4 weeks of rearing dairy calves: Part 2: Effects on the metabolic and endocrine status during calfhood and around the first lactation

“…However, the leptin concentrations in colostrum and in plasma of neonatal piglets were not correlated (Woliński et al, 2014), whereas we observed a weak correlation (ρ = 0.3; P < 0.05; n = 57) in dairy calves. The role of colostral leptin seems less clear, as the increase of serum leptin observed in the present study upon colostrum intake was not observed in 2 other studies (Blum et al, 2005;Schäff et al, 2014); however, this might have been due to the relatively small animal numbers in these studies, which did not allow for picking up the small and transient increase we were able to show herein. When comparing calves receiving only MR with colostrum-fed calves, the leptin concentrations were lower in MR-fed calves (Schäff et al, 2014).…”

“…The role of colostral leptin seems less clear, as the increase of serum leptin observed in the present study upon colostrum intake was not observed in 2 other studies (Blum et al, 2005;Schäff et al, 2014); however, this might have been due to the relatively small animal numbers in these studies, which did not allow for picking up the small and transient increase we were able to show herein. When comparing calves receiving only MR with colostrum-fed calves, the leptin concentrations were lower in MR-fed calves (Schäff et al, 2014). However, it is improbable that individual adipokines, such as leptin or adiponectin, out of a plethora of other bioactive components contained in colostrum would alone mediate the beneficial (not immune globulin-related) effects commonly associated with colostrum intake.…”

Effects of colostrum instead of formula feeding for the first 2 days postnatum on whole-body energy metabolism and its endocrine control in neonatal calves

“…Both hormones are highly concentrated in first colostrum (Kesser et al, 2015(Kesser et al, , 2017, and the absorption of adiponectin from first colostrum was recently shown in neonatal calves (Kesser et al, 2015). Leptin absorption from colostrum was less clear in previous studies, but an elevated plasma concentration of leptin was also associated with colostrum feeding (Blum et al, 2005;Schäff et al, 2014;Kesser et al, 2017). Absorption of colostral leptin occurs in rats and humans (Szymeczko et al, 2009;Woliński et al, 2014;Palou et al, 2018).…”

“…Greater heat production at birth was probably the consequence of the metabolic activity of the brown fat tissue that decreased with time (Vermorel et al, 1983). The thyroid hormones stimulate thermogenesis, and the decrease in plasma T 3 and T 4 during the neonatal period is in line with the lower heat production at 7 and 8 d of age (Silva, 2006;Hammon et al, 2012;Schäff et al, 2014). The greater heat production at feeding times might be a result of greater physical activity and, in addition, of stimulating digestive processes in the gastrointestinal tract at that time (Vermorel et al, 1983).…”

Endocrine And Metabolic Adaptations Of Calves To Extra-Uterine Life

“…Besides lactose, colostrum supplies the neonate with fat, since colostrum, as a highfat diet, provides the bulk of energy required for the hepatic oxidation of fatty acids [111]. The induction of this pathway occurs because of an increase in the activities of enzymes involved in the mitochondrial oxidation of fatty acids.…”