Differences in milk metabolites in Malnad Gidda (Bos indicus) cows reared under pasture-based feeding system

Metabolomics-a powerful tool in livestock research

Advancements in the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Mass Spectrometry (MS) along with recent developments in omics sciences have resulted in a better understanding of molecular mechanisms and pathways associated with the physio-pathological state of the animal. Metabolomics is a post-genomics tool that deals with small molecular metabolites in a given set of time which provides clear information about the status of an organism. Recently many researchers mainly focus their research on metabolomics studies due to its valuable information in the various fields of livestock management and precision dairying. The main aim of the present review is to provide an insight into the current research output from different sources and application of metabolomics in various areas of livestock including nutri-metabolomics, disease diagnosis advancements, reproductive disorders, pharmaco-metabolomics, genomics studies, and dairy production studies. The present review would be helpful in understanding the metabolomics methodologies and use of livestock metabolomics in various areas in a brief way.

How vitamins act as novel agents for ameliorating diabetic peripheral neuropathy: A comprehensive overview

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a pervasive and incapacitating sequela of diabetes, affecting a significant proportion of those diagnosed with the disease, yet an effective treatment remains elusive. Vitamins have been extensively studied, emerging as a promising target for diagnosing and treating various systemic diseases, but their role in DPN is not known. This review collates and synthesizes knowledge regarding the interplay between vitamins and DPN, drawing on bibliographies from prior studies and relevant articles, and stratifying the therapeutic strategies from prophylactic to interventional. In addition, the clinical evidence supporting the use of vitamins to ameliorate DPN is also evaluated, underscoring the potential of vitamins as putative therapeutic agents. We anticipate that this review will offer novel insights for developing and applying vitamin-based therapies for DPN.

Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis of Lactation-Stage-Matched Human and Bovine Milk Samples at 2 Weeks Postnatal

Epidemiological data demonstrate that bovine whole milk is often substituted for human milk during the first 12 months of life and may be associated with adverse infant outcomes. The objective of this study is to interrogate the human and bovine milk metabolome at 2 weeks of life to identify unique metabolites that may impact infant health outcomes. Human milk (n = 10) was collected at 2 weeks postpartum from normal-weight mothers (pre-pregnant BMI < 25 kg/m2) that vaginally delivered term infants and were exclusively breastfeeding their infant for at least 2 months. Similarly, bovine milk (n = 10) was collected 2 weeks postpartum from normal-weight primiparous Holstein dairy cows. Untargeted data were acquired on all milk samples using high-resolution liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HR LC-MS/MS). MS data pre-processing from feature calling to metabolite annotation was performed using MS-DIAL and MS-FLO. Our results revealed that more than 80% of the milk metabolome is shared between human and bovine milk samples during early lactation. Unbiased analysis of identified metabolites revealed that nearly 80% of milk metabolites may contribute to microbial metabolism and microbe-host interactions. Collectively, these results highlight untargeted metabolomics as a potential strategy to identify unique and shared metabolites in bovine and human milk that may relate to and impact infant health outcomes.

Susceptibility of Rice Crop to Salt Threat: Proteomic, Metabolomic, and Physiological Inspections

Rice is a staple food crop worldwide; however, salinity stress is estimated to reduce its global production by 50%. Knowledge about initial molecular signaling and proteins associated with sensing salinity among crop plants is limited. We characterized early salt effects on the proteome and metabolome of rice tissues. Omics results were validated by western blotting and multiple reaction monitoring assays and integrated with physiological changes. We identified 8160 proteins and 2045 metabolites in rice tissues. Numerous signaling pathways were induced rapidly or partially by salinity. Combined data showed the most susceptible proteins or metabolites in each pathway that likely affected the sensitivity of rice to salinity, such as PLA1, BON3 (involved in sensing stress), SnRK2, pro-resilin, GDT1, G-proteins, calmodulin activators (Ca²⁺ and abscisic acid signaling), MAPK3/5, MAPKK1/3 (MAPK pathway), SOS1, ABC F/D, PIP2-7, and K⁺ transporter-23 (transporters), OPR1, JAR1, COL1, ABA2, and MAPKK3 (phytohormones). Additionally, our results expanded the stress-sensing function of receptor-like kinases, phosphatidylinositols, and Na⁺ sensing proteins (IPUT1). Combined analyses revealed the most sensitive components of signaling pathways causing salt-susceptibility in rice and suggested potential targets for crop improvement.

House feeding system improves the estrus rate in yaks (Bos grunniens) by increasing specific fecal microbiota and myo-inositol content in serum

Grazing (G) yaks (Bos grunniens) are generally of low fertility, which severely limits the income of local pastoralists. However, we recently found that yaks had a 52% higher estrus rate in house feeding (HF) than in G. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to analyze serum metabolites and fecal microbiota of 20 rutting yaks in the G and HF systems, respectively, to explain this phenomenon. The results showed that 73 total metabolites differed significantly (p &lt; 0.05 and VIP &gt; 1) between the G and HF systems. In the HF system, 53 were upregulated and 20 were downregulated compared with the G system. Organic oxygen compounds, organic acids and their derivatives, and lipids and lipid-like molecules were the most common differential metabolites. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway mapper revealed that 25 metabolic signaling pathways differed significantly between the two systems. The top three enriched pathways included central carbon metabolism in cancer, aminoacyl–tRNA biosynthesis, and ABC transporters. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing data showed no significant differences in Chao 1 index between the two systems. According to principal component analysis (PCA), the HF and G systems were distinctly and separately clustered in terms of fecal microbiota distribution. The G system showed significantly higher abundances of Firmicutes. The HF system showed significantly higher abundances of Alistipes, Treponema, and Rikenellaceae_ RC9_ gut_ group. Pearson's correlation analysis and core network analysis revealed that Rikenellaceae_RC9_ gut_ group, Alistipes, and Treponema were positively correlated with myo-inositol and formed the core bacteria. In summary, the HF system promoted the estrus rate and changed the composition of yak fecal microbiota and serum metabolites. Increased estrus rate might be obtained due to enhanced myo-inositol content in yak serum via the HF system. Correlation analysis suggested that myo-inositol content might also be partly increased via yak-specific fecal microbiota, contributing to the estrus rate. These findings could lead to a novel therapeutic strategy for G yaks due to their low estrus rate.

Rifampicin-Mediated Metabolic Changes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is considered to be a devastating pathogen worldwide, affecting millions of people globally. Several drugs targeting distinct pathways are utilized for the treatment of tuberculosis. Despite the monumental efforts being directed at the discovery of drugs for Mtb, the pathogen has also developed mechanisms to evade the drug action and host processes. Rifampicin was an early anti-tuberculosis drug, and is still being used as the first line of treatment. This study was carried out in order to characterize the in-depth rifampicin-mediated metabolic changes in Mtb, facilitating a better understanding of the physiological processes based on the metabolic pathways and predicted protein interactors associated with the dysregulated metabolome. Although there are various metabolomic studies that have been carried out on rifampicin mutants, this is the first study that reports a large number of significantly altered metabolites in wild type Mtb upon rifampicin treatment. In this study, a total of 173 metabolites, associated with pyrimidine, purine, arginine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan metabolic pathways, were significantly altered by rifampicin. The predicted host protein interactors of the rifampicin-dysregulated Mtb metabolome were implicated in transcription, inflammation, apoptosis, proteolysis, and DNA replication. Further, tricarboxylic acidcycle metabolites, arginine, and phosphoenolpyruvate were validated by multiple-reaction monitoring. This study provides a comprehensive list of altered metabolites that serves as a basis for understanding the rifampicin-mediated metabolic changes, and associated functional processes, in Mtb, which holds therapeutic potential for the treatment of Mtb.

Zeboid cow milk: physicochemical quality indicator

Introduction. A herd of zeboid cattle was created by the Snegiri Scientific and Experimental Farm (Moscow region, Russia) as a result of long-term selection and crossbreeding zebu (Bos indicus L.) with cattle (Bos taurus L.). These hybrid cows have good physiological parameters, high resistance to diseases, and a significant adaptive potential. The quality of milk produced by zebu cows at different lactation and milking times has not been studied as well as their milking capacity. Therefore, we aimed to assess the variability of specific physicochemical indicators of milk produced by Snegiri’s zeboid dairy herd. Study objects and methods. The milk of 193 zeboid cows (6–12% of zebu blood) from the Snegiri Farm was analyzed by standard methods for quality indicators such as fat, nonfat milk solids, density, bound water, freezing point, protein, and lactose. Then, we determined how these indicators changed depending on the lactation number and the time of milking (morning/evening). Statistical analysis was applied to process the data. Results and discussion. Such indicators as nonfat milk solids, density, bound water, freezing point, protein, and lactose of zeboid cow milk were consistent with the normal indicators for raw cow’s milk. Only its fat content (4.39%) exceeded the norm. We found no correlation between the quality of milk and the number of lactations. However, the evening milk was more concentrated, with a significant increase in nonfat milk solids and density, as well as with a lower freezing point. Conclusion. Zeboid cows, which can be bred in suboptimal conditions, produce milk suitable for dairy products since it has a high fat content regardless of lactation and milking time.

Metabolomics analysis highlights Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.)-mediated neuroprotection in a rotenone-induced cellular model of Parkinson's disease by restoring the mTORC1-AMPK1 axis in autophagic regulation

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-associated progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder, and its management strategies are known to cause complications with prolonged usage. We aimed to explore the neuroprotective mechanism of the Indian traditional medicine Yashtimadhu, prepared from the dried roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (licorice) in the rotenone-induced cellular model of PD. Retinoic acid-differentiated IMR-32 cells were treated with rotenone (PD model) and Yashtimadhu extract. Mass spectrometry-based untargeted and targeted metabolomic profiling was carried out to discover altered metabolites. The untargeted metabolomics analysis highlighted the rotenone-induced dysregulation and Yashtimadhu-mediated restoration of metabolites involved in the metabolism of nucleic acids, amino acids, lipids, and citric acid cycle. Targeted validation of citric acid cycle metabolites showed decreased α-ketoglutarate and succinate with rotenone treatment and rescued by Yashtimadhu co-treatment. The dysregulation of the citric acid cycle by rotenone-induced energetic stress via dysregulation of the mTORC1-AMPK1 axis was prevented by Yashtimadhu. Yashtimadhu co-treatment restored rotenone-induced ATG7-dependent autophagy and eventually caspases-mediated cell death. Our analysis links the metabolic alterations modulating energy stress and autophagy, which underlies the Yashtimadhu-mediated neuroprotection in the rotenone-induced cellular model of PD.

Metabolite Dysregulation by Pranlukast in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been infecting millions of people worldwide over the years, causing tuberculosis. Drugs targeting distinct cellular mechanisms including synthesis of the cell wall, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids in Mtb are currently being used for the treatment of TB. Although extensive research is being carried out at the molecular level in the infected host and pathogen, the identification of suitable drug targets and drugs remains under explored. Pranlukast, an allosteric inhibitor of MtArgJ (Mtb ornithine acetyltransferase) has previously been shown to inhibit the survival and virulence of Mtb. The main objective of this study was to identify the altered metabolic pathways and biological processes associated with the differentially expressed metabolites by PRK in Mtb. Here in this study, metabolomics was carried out using an LC-MS/MS-based approach. Collectively, 50 metabolites were identified to be differentially expressed with a significant p-value through a global metabolomic approach using a high-resolution mass spectrometer. Metabolites downstream of argJ were downregulated in the arginine biosynthetic pathway following pranlukast treatment. Predicted human protein interactors of pranlukast-treated Mtb metabolome were identified in association with autophagy, inflammation, DNA repair, and other immune-related processes. Further metabolites including N-acetylglutamate, argininosuccinate, L-arginine, succinate, ergothioneine, and L-phenylalanine were validated by multiple reaction monitoring, a targeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomic approach. This study facilitates the understanding of pranlukast-mediated metabolic changes in Mtb and holds the potential to identify novel therapeutic approaches using metabolic pathways in Mtb.