Symposium review: Mechanistic insights into adipose tissue inflammation and oxidative stress in periparturient dairy cows

Abstract

During the periparturient period, lipolysis in adipose tissue (AT) mobilizes fatty acid reserves to meet high energy needs of dairy cows. This physiological response is accompanied by the synthesis and secretion of a plethora of proteins (adipokines) and lipid products that modulate metabolic functions. In the AT, lipolysis generates free radicals (FR), including reactive oxygen species, and leads to a remodeling process characterized by an inflammatory response. In the AT of healthy cows with adequate lipolytic responses, antioxidant defenses neutralize FR, and the inflammation associated with remodeling is rapidly resolved. The control of these processes is orchestrated by numerous inflammatory and oxidative stress (OS)-related pathways identified by recent transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. For example, parturition and the onset of lactation enhance the transcription and translation of complement and acute-phase proteins and, at the same time, enrich antioxidant defenses that neutralize FR, including Nrf2. However, in cows with exacerbated and protracted lipolysis, the production of FR rapidly depletes antioxidant systems, and OS develops. The harmful effects of OS in AT include activating inflammatory responses and inhibiting insulin signaling within AT. By intensifying AT inflammation, OS impairs adipocyte response to insulin. This leads to a vicious circle where OS exacerbates AT lipolysis and inflammation, which further promotes OS. This review summarizes current knowledge on the mechanisms that modulate AT inflammatory responses and OS during the periparturient period of dairy cows.