Feeding synthetic zeolite to transition dairy cows alters neutrophil gene expression

Abstract

Synthetic zeolites are used to control the availability of dietary minerals (e.g., Ca, Mg, and P) in dairy cows. Due to calcium demand increasing with lactation onset, most cows become hypocalcemic immediately postpartum, which likely contributes to poorer immune function because calcium is important for immune cell signaling. To overcome postpartum hypocalcemia, we fed transition cows synthetic zeolite A (sodium aluminosilicate) precalving and hypothesized that it would alter calcium and thus neutrophil function during the transition period. Multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows in late gestation were randomly allocated to an untreated control group (n = 10) or a treatment group in which each cow received 500 g of zeolite A daily (n = 10) for 14 d prior to the expected calving date (actual duration = 17 ± 3 d prepartum). The cows grazed pasture, and each was supplemented with 2 kg/d of maize silage (dry matter basis), with or without zeolite, until calving. Blood samples for neutrophil isolation and analysis of plasma indicators of mineral status, energy status, liver function, and inflammation were collected pretreatment (covariate; d −19); on d −14 and −7 precalving; on the day of calving (d 0); and on d 1, 4, 7, and 28 postcalving. Neutrophils were isolated and gene expression was analyzed using microfluidic gene expression arrays. Neutrophil respiratory burst was assessed using stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and flow cytometry. Plasma calcium and phosphorus revealed a treatment by time interaction; cows offered zeolite had greater plasma calcium concentrations at d 0, 1, and 4 postcalving and plasma phosphorus con-centrations were lower in zeolite-treated cows during the precalving period until d 1 postcalving compared with control animals. Zeolite treatment downregulated neutrophil gene expression of CXCR4 and S100A8 and tended to lower gene expression for other immune mediators (CXCR1, IFNG, S100A12, and S100A9) compared with the control. Zeolite treatment did not affect neutrophil respiratory burst or expression of the other genes investigated. Plasma concentrations of cytokine IL-6 were reduced with zeolite treatment, which was most evident immediately postcalving (d 0, 1, and 7). Overall, feeding zeolite precalving had few effects on neutrophil gene expression and function; however, the lower gene expression of neutrophil inflammatory mediators may be due to altered availability of dietary minerals prepartum and indicates that zeolite A may control inflammation during the transition period.

The effect of oral administration of zeolite on the energy metabolism and reproductive health of Romanian spotted breed in advanced gestation and post partum period

“…Zeolite seems to have limited effects on the immune response in the uterus, aligning with findings similar to Crookenden et al. (2020) , who studied its impact on neutrophil gene expression and function.…”

Effect of Anionic and Zeolite Supplements and Oral Calcium Bolus in Prepartum Diets on Feed Intake, Milk Yield and Milk Compositions, Plasma Ca Concentration, Blood Metabolites and the Prevalence of Some Reproductive Disorders in Fresh Dairy Cows

“…The dry matter was determined by oven-drying at 65 °C until a constant weight was reached; method 930.15. For the crude protein (CP) analysis (N × 6.25), samples were analyzed by Kjeldahl titration (Kjeltec 1030 Auto Analyzer, Tecator, Höganäs, Sweden; [ 28 ]); method 920.53. The ether extract (EE) and ash contents were analyzed according to [ 30 ]; methods 920.39 and 941.12, respectively.…”

“…During the transition period, synthetic zeolite-A was used to control the availability of dietary minerals (e.g., Ca, Mg and P) to investigate its effect on immune functions. The lower gene expression of the neutrophil inflammatory mediators due to the altered availability of dietary minerals was observed, which indicates that zeolite-A may control inflammation during the transition period [ 28 ].…”

Temporal profiles describing markers of inflammation and metabolism during the transition period of pasture-based, seasonal-calving dairy cows

“…Hypomagnesemia has been associated with an increased risk of hypocalcemia, which in turn has been associated with suppressed immune function and increased risk of other production diseases, such as hyperketonemia (Goff, 2008;Reinhardt et al, 2011;Crookenden et al, 2020). In response to lower circulating Ca, parathyroid hormone (PTH) is released from the parathyroid gland, which mobilizes Ca from bone and increases reabsorption in the kidney (Goff, 2008).…”