The Hsp72 response in peri-parturient dairy cows: relationships with metabolic and immunological parameters

Abstract

The study was aimed at assessing whether the peri-parturient period is associated with changes of intracellular and plasma inducible heat shock proteins (Hsp) 72 kDa molecular weight in dairy cows, and to establish possible relationships between Hsp72, metabolic, and immunological parameters subjected to changes around calving. The study was carried out on 35 healthy periparturient Holstein cows. Three, two, and one week before the expected calving, and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks after calving, body conditions score (BCS) was measured and blood samples were collected to separate plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Concentrations of Hsp72 in PBMC and plasma increased sharply after calving. In the post-calving period, BCS and plasma glucose declined, whereas plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha increased. The proliferative responses of PBMC to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) declined progressively after calving. The percentage of PBMC expressing CD14 receptors and Toll-like receptors (TLR)-4 increased and decreased in the early postpartum period, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships between Hsp72 and NEFA, and between PBMC proliferation in response to LPS and the percentage of PBMC expressing TLR-4. Conversely, significant negative relationships were found between LPS-triggered proliferation of PBMC and both intracellular and plasma Hsp72. Literature data and changes of metabolic and immunological parameters reported herein authorize a few interpretative hypotheses and encourage further studies aimed at assessing possible cause and effect relationships between changes of PBMC and circulating Hsp72, metabolic, and immune parameters in dairy cows.

Abundance of ruminal bacteria, epithelial gene expression, and systemic biomarkers of metabolism and inflammation are altered during the peripartal period in dairy cows

“…Chen et al (2012) detected a higher expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in ruminal epithelium of steers classified as acidosis resistant compared with steers classified as acidosis susceptible and concluded that the decrease in expression of these receptors may render animals more susceptible to inflammatory stimuli originating from the ruminal environment . Catalani et al (2010) detected a decrease of expression of TLR4 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in cows after calving and hypothesized this was a mechanism of endotoxin tolerance. Mechanisms of endotoxin tolerance are present in intestinal epithelial cells and act to avoid deleterious TLR activation by Toll-interacting protein (Abreu, 2010).…”

The effect of calving in the summer on the hepatic transcriptome of Holstein cows during the peripartal period

“…The higher expression of HSP70A1A postpartum (especially at 3 and 35 d) in SU compared with SP cows together with microarray results indicates the activation of cytoprotective mechanisms against stress and DNA damage. These mechanisms could also have been induced by the increased energy mobilization (NEFA; Gessner et al, 2014) and by inflammatory and immunological conditions typical of early lactation (Catalani et al, 2010). Surprisingly, qPCR results revealed that the expression of heat-shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) was greater in SP compared with SU cows.…”

“…The immune system of heat-stressed cows also is compromised (Lacetera et al, 2006) due in part to alterations in gene expression including upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines (Tao et al, 2013). Another well-studied component of cellular responses to heat stress are the heat-shock proteins, which appear to play a major role in eliciting immune responses under increased environmental stress in rodents (Campisi et al, 2003) and cows (Catalani et al, 2010).…”

Inflammatory Response and Acute Phase Proteins in the Transition Period of High-Yielding Dairy Cows

“…experience (Catalani et al, 2010a), the HSP72 response is an important component of the adaptation strategy of periparturient dairy cows to negative energy balance and lipomobilization after calving. In a global view, the crucial functions of HSP72 in the control of both TNF-alpha and a fundamental cellular alarmin like High Motility Group Box-1 (HMGB-1) (Tang et al, 2007) are probably the foundation of the strong and long-lasting HSP72 response of cows after calving.…”