Elsevier

Domestic Animal Endocrinology

Volume 59, April 2017, Pages 100-104
Domestic Animal Endocrinology

Short Communication
Relationship between serum adiponectin concentration, body condition score, and peripheral tissue insulin response of dairy cows during the dry period

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.domaniend.2016.12.004Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Serum concentration of adiponectin decreased at the end of the dry period in dairy cows.

  • Serum concentration of adiponectin was negatively associated with body condition score.

  • Serum adiponectin was positively associated with insulin responsiveness.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to describe the relationship between serum adiponectin concentration and peripheral tissue insulin response in dairy cows with a variable body condition score (BCS) during the dry period. Cows were selected at the beginning of the dry period based on BCS (BCS <3.75, n = 4; BCS >3.75, n = 5). Animals were followed from the beginning of the dry period by weekly blood sampling and assessment of BCS and backfat thickness. Weekly blood samples were analyzed for adiponectin concentration using a bovine specific ELISA. Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp tests were performed at the end of the dry period to measure peripheral tissue insulin response. Insulin dose response curves were established for both glucose and fatty acid metabolism. Regression analysis revealed that the serum concentrations of adiponectin dropped at the end of the dry period (P < 0.05) and were negatively associated with BCS (P < 0.05). At the level of the glucose metabolism, serum concentrations of adiponectin were positively correlated with insulin responsiveness (reflecting the maximal effect of insulin; r = 0.76, P < 0.05), but not with insulin sensitivity (reflecting the insulin concentration needed to achieve halfmaximal effect; r = −0.54, P = 0.13). At the level of the fatty acid metabolism, greater adiponectin concentrations were negatively correlated with lower NEFA levels during the HEC test reflecting the insulin responsiveness of the NEFA metabolism (r = −0.61, P = 0.08), whereas there was no association with the insulin sensitivity of the NEFA metabolism (r = −0.16, P = 0.67). In conclusion, serum concentrations of adiponectin were negatively associated with the BCS of dairy cows during the dry period and positively associated with insulin responsiveness of the glucose and fatty acid metabolism.

Introduction

Adiponectin, a protein exclusively produced by adipocytes, exerts insulin sensitizing and anti-inflammatory properties in different tissues and is recognized to play an important role in the pathogenesis of the human metabolic syndrome [1], [2]. Obesity, in humans and rodents, is associated with decreased circulating concentrations of adiponectin and a downregulated expression of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2. Both factors contribute to a disruption of normal metabolic function of different tissues which eventually will lead to the development of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease [1], [3], [4]. Overconditioned dairy cows are known to be more susceptible for metabolic and infectious disorders, which is known as the fat cow syndrome [5], [6]. Similarly to the human metabolic syndrome, the adipose tissue is an important contributor in the development of the fat cow syndrome due to the excessive release of fatty acids [6], [7]. The adipose tissue of dairy cows is also capable of producing different adipokines, including adiponectin [8], [9], [10]. However, the metabolic role of adiponectin in dairy cows is not yet fully explored. Recent in vitro research demonstrated that adiponectin decreases tumor necrosis factor α production by bovine monocytes [11], whereas it stimulates lipid oxidation in bovine hepatocytes [12].

In a previous article, we described the relationship between the accumulation of body fat and glucose and fatty acid metabolism of peripheral tissues in response to insulin. Overconditioned cows were shown to have a decreased insulin sensitivity (increased EC50glucose) and a decreased insulin responsiveness (decreased maxglucose) of the glucose metabolism, whereas insulin action at the level of the fatty acid metabolism was not influenced by BCS [13]. The aim of the present study was to describe the relationship of the serum adiponectin concentration during the dry period with: (a) BCS, (b) adipose depot weight, and (c) variables derived from the insulin dose response curves of the glucose and fatty acid metabolism for cows of variable BCS (BCS 3−5) during the dry period.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

All experimental procedures were approved by the ethical committee of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (EC2010/149—University Ghent, Belgium). The study design is described in detail by De Koster et al [13]. Ten clinically healthy, pregnant Holstein Friesian dairy cows were selected at the beginning of the dry period based on BCS according to the scale of Edmonson et al [14]. The upcoming parity number of the animals was 2 (n = 4); 3 (n = 4); 4 (n = 1), and 5 (n = 1). Five animals were

Results

The comparison of BCS and BFT at different time points within individuals, revealed no significant difference, meaning that the BCS and BFT did not change during the dry period. Body condition score was negatively associated with adiponectin concentration (regression coefficient of the mixed model = −3.54; P < 0.05). Time had a significant influence on the adiponectin concentration (P < 0.05), and we observed a drop in adiponectin concentration toward the end of the dry period independent of

Discussion

The medium and high molecular weight forms of adiponectin are the most important isoforms circulating in the blood of dairy cows [8], [10]. The bovine specific ELISA used in the present study does not discriminate between the molecular weight forms of adiponectin. Nevertheless, as previously demonstrated by others [9], [10], serum total adiponectin concentration decreased at the end of the dry period. Since adiponectin exerts insulin sensitizing effects on the liver, skeletal muscle, and

Conclusions

Serum adiponectin concentration was negatively associated with the BCS of dairy cows in the dry period. Independently of the BCS of the animals, the serum adiponectin concentration decreased at the end of the dry period. In the present study, serum adiponectin concentrations were positively associated with the insulin responsiveness of the glucose and NEFA metabolism. More research is needed toward the functional role of adiponectin in peripheral tissue metabolism of periparturient dairy cows

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the Special Research Fund of Ghent University, grant number 01D28410. The authors wish to thank Lars Hulpio, Isabel Lemahieu and Petra Van Damme for excellent technical assistance in the lab.

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