Short communication: Effects of dietary deoiled soy lecithin supplementation on circulating choline and choline metabolites, and the plasma phospholipid profile in Holstein cows fed palm fat

Enzymes of sphingolipid metabolism as transducers of metabolic inputs

Sphingolipids (SLs) constitute a discrete subdomain of metabolism, and they display both structural and signaling functions. Accumulating evidence also points to intimate connections between intermediary metabolism and SL metabolism. Given that many SLs exhibit bioactive properties (i.e. transduce signals), these raise the possibility that an important function of SLs is to relay information on metabolic changes into specific cell responses. This could occur at various levels. Some metabolites are incorporated into SLs, whereas others may initiate regulatory or signaling events that, in turn, modulate SL metabolism. In this review, we elaborate on the former as it represents a poorly appreciated aspect of SL metabolism, and we develop the hypothesis that the SL network is highly sensitive to several specific metabolic changes, focusing on amino acids (serine and alanine), various fatty acids, choline (and ethanolamine), and glucose.

Discrimination of Lipogenic or Glucogenic Diet Effects in Early-Lactation Dairy Cows Using Plasma Metabolite Abundances and Ratios in Combination with Machine Learning

During early lactation, dairy cows have a negative energy balance since their energy demands exceed their energy intake: in this study, we aimed to investigate the association between diet and plasma metabolomics profiles and how these relate to energy unbalance of course in the early-lactation stage. Holstein-Friesian cows were randomly assigned to a glucogenic (n = 15) or lipogenic (n = 15) diet in early lactation. Blood was collected in week 2 and week 4 after calving. Plasma metabolite profiles were detected using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and a total of 39 metabolites were identified. Two plasma metabolomic profiles were available every week for each cow. Metabolite abundance and metabolite ratios were used for the analysis using the XGboost algorithm to discriminate between diet treatment and lactation week. Using metabolite ratios resulted in better discrimination performance compared with the metabolite abundances in assigning cows to a lipogenic diet or a glucogenic diet. The quality of the discrimination of performance of lipogenic diet and glucogenic diet effects improved from 0.606 to 0.753 and from 0.696 to 0.842 in week 2 and week 4 (as measured by area under the curve, AUC), when the metabolite abundance ratios were used instead of abundances. The top discriminating ratios for diet were the ratio of arginine to tyrosine and the ratio of aspartic acid to valine in week 2 and week 4, respectively. For cows fed the lipogenic diet, choline and the ratio of creatinine to tryptophan were top features to discriminate cows in week 2 vs. week 4. For cows fed the glucogenic diet, methionine and the ratio of 4-hydroxyproline to choline were top features to discriminate dietary effects in week 2 or week 4. This study shows the added value of using metabolite abundance ratios to discriminate between lipogenic and glucogenic diet and lactation weeks in early-lactation cows when using metabolomics data. The application of this research will help to accurately regulate the nutrition of lactating dairy cows and promote sustainable agricultural development.

Comprehensive analysis of phospholipid in milk and their biological roles as nutrients and biomarkers

Phospholipids (PL) have garnered significant attention due to their physiological activities. Milk and other dairy products are important dietary sources for humans and have been extensively used to analyze the presence of PL by various analytical techniques. In this paper, the analysis techniques of PL were reviewed with the eight trigrams of phospholipidomics and a comprehensive fingerprint of 1295 PLs covering 8 subclasses in milk and other dairy products, especially. Technology is the primary productive force. Based on phospholipidomics technology, we further review the relationship between the composition of PL and factors that may be involved in processing and experimental operation, and emphasized the significance of the biological role played by PL in dietary supplements and biomarkers (production, processing and clinical research), and providing the future research directions.

Lecithin's Roles in Oleogelation

This manuscript analyzes the research considering the exploitation of lecithin in oleogelation. The main objective of the work was to gather, analyze, and extract from the existing research data the information that enables us to identify lecithin-dependent roles. Oleogelation is still under research, while using various oleogelators and structurants provides changes on different physico-chemical levels. Multivariable formulations do not facilitate the elucidation of the specific role of any of them. Lecithin, due to its complex structure, big molecule, and amphiphilic nature, can provide different functionalities in complex matrices like oleogels. Therefore, this review identifies and categorizes the functionality of lecithin in oleogelation into four main roles: 1. oleogelation facilitator; 2. structure-forming impact; 3. texturing agent; and 4. functionality provider. Also, the origin and structure-forming characteristics of lecithin, as well as a short summary of the oleogelation process itself, are presented. Our critical analysis allowed us to identify the roles of lecithin in the oleogelation process and categorized them as follows: oleogelator, emulsifier, structural organization facilitator, structural modifier, crystal characteristics modifier, self-assembly promoter, thermal behavior changer, hydrogen-bonded networks promoter, hydrogel structure modifier, texture and structural modifier, gel-like state promoter, oil capacity enhancer, functionality provider, shelf life extender, and bioavailability and bioaccessibility enhancer. Lecithin came out as an important and multifunctional compound whose applications in oleogelation need to be thoroughly pre-considered. It is crucial to grasp all the possible roles of used compounds to be able to predict the final functionality and characteristics of formed oleogel matrices.

Longitudinal characterization of the metabolome of dairy cows transitioning from one lactation to the next: Investigations in blood serum

The objective of this study was to characterize changes in the serum metabolome and various indicators of oxidative balance in dairy cows starting 2 wk before dry-off and continuing until wk 16 of lactation. Twelve Holstein dairy cows (body weight 745 ± 71 kg, body condition score 3.43 ± 0.66; mean ± SD) were housed in a tiestall barn from 10 wk before to 16 wk after parturition. Cows were dried off 6 wk before the expected calving date (mean dry period length = 42 d). From 8 wk before calving to 16 wk after calving, blood samples were taken weekly to study redox metabolism by determining antioxidant capacity, measured as the ferric-reducing ability of plasma, reactive oxidative metabolites, oxidative stress index, oxidative damage of lipids, measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and glutathione peroxidase activity. According to these results, dairy cows had the lowest serum antioxidant capacity and greater levels of oxidative stress during the dry-off period and the early postpartum period. For metabolomics, a subset of serum samples including wk -7 (before dry-off), -5 (after dry-off), -1, 1, 5, 10, and 15 relative to calving were used. A targeted metabolomics approach was performed using liquid chromatography and flow injection with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry using the MxP Quant 500 kit (Biocrates Life Sciences AG). A total of 240 metabolites in serum were used in the final data analysis. Principal component analysis revealed a clear separation by days of sampling, indicating a remarkable shift in metabolic phenotype between the dry period and late and early lactation. Changes in many non-lipid metabolites associated with one-carbon metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, the urea cycle, and AA catabolism were observed in the study, with changes in AA serum concentrations likely related to factors such as energy and nitrogen balance, digestive efficiency, and changing diets. The study confirmed an extensive remodeling of the serum lipidome in peripartum dairy cows, highlighting the importance of changes in acylcarnitine (acylCN), phosphatidylcholines (PC), and triacylglycerols (TG), as they play a crucial role in lipid metabolism. Results showed that short-chain acylCN increased after dry-off and decreased thereafter, whereas lipid-derived acylCN increased around parturition, suggesting that more fatty acids could enter mitochondria. Phospholipids and sphingolipids in serum showed changes during lactation. In particular, concentrations of sphingomyelins, PC, and lysoPC decreased around calving but increased in mid- and late lactation. In contrast, concentrations of TG remained consistently low after parturition. The serum concentrations of bile acids fluctuated during the dry period and lactation, with glycocholic acid, cholic acid, glycodeoxycholic acid, and taurocholic acid showing the greatest concentrations. These changes are likely due to the interplay of diet, liver function, and the ability of the gut microbiota to convert primary to secondary bile acids. Overall, these descriptive results may aid in hypothesis generation and in the design and interpretation of future metabolite-based studies in dairy cows. Furthermore, they contribute to our understanding of the physiological ranges in serum metabolites relative to the lactation cycle of the dairy cow.

Rumen-protected choline and methionine during the periparturient period affect choline metabolites, amino acids, and hepatic expression of genes associated with one-carbon and lipid metabolism

Feeding supplemental choline and Met during the periparturient period can have positive effects on cow performance; however, the mechanisms by which these nutrients affect performance and metabolism are unclear. The objective of this experiment was to determine if providing rumen-protected choline, rumen-protected Met, or both during the periparturient period modifies the choline metabolitic profile of plasma and milk, plasma AA, and hepatic mRNA expression of genes associated with choline, Met, and lipid metabolism. Cows (25 primiparous, 29 multiparous) were blocked by expected calving date and parity and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: control (no rumen-protected choline or rumen-protected Met); CHO (13 g/d choline ion); MET (9 g/d DL-methionine prepartum; 13.5 g/d DL-methionine, postpartum); or CHO + MET. Treatments were applied daily as a top dress from ~21 d prepartum through 35 d in milk (DIM). On the day of treatment enrollment (d -19 ± 2 relative to calving), blood samples were collected for covariate measurements. At 7 and 14 DIM, samples of blood and milk were collected for analysis of choline metabolites, including 16 species of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and 4 species of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). Blood was also analyzed for AA concentrations. Liver samples collected from multiparous cows on the day of treatment enrollment and at 7 DIM were used for gene expression analysis. There was no consistent effect of CHO or MET on milk or plasma free choline, betaine, sphingomyelin, or glycerophosphocholine. However, CHO increased milk secretion of total LPC irrespective of MET for multiparous cows and in absence of MET for primiparous cows. Furthermore, CHO increased or tended to increase milk secretion of LPC 16:0, LPC 18:1, and LPC 18:0 for primi- and multiparous cows, although the response varied with MET supplementation. Feeding CHO also increased plasma concentrations of LPC 16:0 and LPC 18:1 in absence of MET for multiparous cows. Although milk secretion of total PC was unaffected, CHO and MET increased secretion of 6 and 5 individual PC species for multiparous cows, respectively. Plasma concentrations of total PC and individual PC species were unaffected by CHO or MET for multiparous cows, but MET reduced total PC and 11 PC species during wk 2 postpartum for primiparous cows. Feeding MET consistently increased plasma Met concentrations for both primi- and multiparous cows. Additionally, MET decreased plasma serine concentrations during wk 2 postpartum and increased plasma phenylalanine in absence of CHO for multiparous cows. In absence of MET, CHO tended to increase hepatic mRNA levels of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase and phosphate cytidylyltransferase 1 choline, α, but tended to decrease expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase 2 and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α irrespective of MET. Although shifts in the milk and plasma PC profile were subtle and inconsistent between primi- and multiparous cows, gene expression results suggest that supplemental choline plays a probable role in promoting the cytidine diphosphate-choline and betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase pathways. However, interactive effects suggest that this response depends on Met availability, which may explain the inconsistent results observed among studies when supplemental choline is fed.

Alterations in the Milk Metabolome of Dairy Cows Supplemented with Different Levels of Calcium Propionate in Early Lactation

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with different levels of calcium propionate on the lactation performance, blood energy metabolite parameters, and milk metabolites of dairy cows in early lactation. Thirty-two multiparous Holstein cows were randomly divided into 4 groups, which were orally drenched with 0, 200, 350, and 500 g/d calcium propionate per cow supplemented to a basal diet for 5 weeks from calving. The milk and blood of the dairy cows were sampled and measured every week. The milk samples from the last week were used for the metabolomic analysis via liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The results showed that the calcium propionate supplementation quadratically increased the dry matter intake, energy-corrected milk yield, and 4% fat-corrected milk yield; linearly reduced the milk protein and milk lactose concentrations; and quadratically decreased the somatic cell count in the milk. With the increase in calcium propionate, the serum glucose content showed a linear increase, while the serum insulin content showed a quadratic increase. The diets supplemented with calcium propionate quadratically decreased the β-hydroxybutyric acid and linearly decreased the non-esterified fatty acid content in the serum. The metabolomic analysis revealed that eighteen different metabolites were identified in the milk samples of the dairy cows supplemented with calcium propionate at 350 g/d, which decreased the abundance of genistein and uridine 5-monophosphate and increased the abundance of adenosine, uracil, protoporphyrin IX, and sphingomyelin (d 18:1/18:0) compared with the control group. The milk metabolic analysis indicated that the calcium propionate effectively improved the milk synthesis and alleviated the mobilization of adipose tissue and bone calcium. In summary, the calcium propionate could improve the lactation performance and energy status and promote the milk metabolic profile of dairy cows in early lactation. Calcium propionate (350 g/d) is a well-recommended supplement for dairy cows for alleviating negative energy balance and hypocalcemia in early lactation.

Untargeted foodomics reveals molecular mechanism of magnetic field effect on Feng-flavor Baijiu ageing

Ageing is a time-consuming step in Baijiu manufacture, stimulating an urgent requirement of optimization. Variation of artificial aged Feng-flavor Baijiu by inhomogeneous alternating magnetic field was investigated through quantitative foodomics combined with confirmed ultra high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-orbitaltrap high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap). A total of 153 substances were identified with significant variables (p < 0.05, VIP > 1) and 16 metabolic pathways related to Feng-flavor Baijiu functions were obtained. The method showed good accuracy with recovery values between 80.4% and 117.4% and precision lower than 9.8% for all characteristic substances. Limit of detection (LOD) was ranging between 1.6 and 10.0 μg/L with R² ≥ 0.99. Factor analysis demonstrated that ageing degree of magnetized samples increased with rise of magnetic field intensity and the maximum effect was equivalent to 12.81 years of natural ageing. The results of stoichiometric analysis revealed that regulation of magnetic field on proportion in Baijiu was mainly performed through entropy and the hydrogen bond strength of Baijiu molecules. Sensory evaluation illustrated that score of Baijiu samples reached the highest at 150 mT, demonstrating that magnetic field treatment can be considered as an optimized ageing means for Feng-flavor Baijiu.