Increase in plasma total antioxidant capacity of grazing Japanese Black heifers and cows in forestland in Japan.

Blood total antioxidant capacity (TAC) has become a key bio-marker for animal health. Forest-grazing cattle are known to forage various native plants that have high TAC. This study evaluated differences of plasma TAC between forest-grazing (FG) and pasture-grazing cattle (PG). Experiment 1 monitored the plasma TAC levels of 32 Japanese Black cattle. The level in PG did not change throughout the grazing period. However, that in FG, which increased from summer, was significantly higher than that in PG through fall (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, we used nine Japanese Black heifers and investigated their blood antioxidant parameters and the TAC in plants that the cattle consumed in late June and September. The plasma TAC levels in FG were significantly higher than those in PG in both periods (P < 0.05). Plasma levels of lipid peroxidation in FG tended to be lower than that in PG (P = 0.098). Furthermore, the TAC levels in various species of shrubs and trees consumed by FG were higher than those in pasture grasses. Results of this study show that plasma TAC of grazing Japanese Black cattle in forestland increase from summer through fall.

The preventive effect of ß-carotene on denervation-induced soleus muscle atrophy in mice.

Muscle atrophy increases the production of reactive oxygen species and the expression of atrophy-related genes, which are involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome system. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ß-carotene on oxidative stress (100 µM-H2O2)-induced muscle atrophy in murine C2C12 myotubes. ß-Carotene (10 µM) restored the H2O2-induced decreased levels of myosin heavy chain and tropomyosin (P< 0·05, n 3) and decreased the H2O2-induced increased levels of ubiquitin conjugates. ß-Carotene reduced the H2O2-induced increased expression levels of E3 ubiquitin ligases (Atrogin-1 and MuRF1) and deubiquitinating enzymes (USP14 and USP19) (P< 0·05, n 3) and attenuated the H2O2-induced nuclear localisation of FOXO3a. Furthermore, we determined the effects of ß-carotene on denervation-induced muscle atrophy. Male ddY mice (8 weeks old, n 30) were divided into two groups and orally pre-administered micelle with or without ß-carotene (0·5 mg once daily) for 2 weeks, followed by denervation in the right hindlimb. ß-Carotene was further administered once daily until the end of the experiment. At day 3 after denervation, the ratio of soleus muscle mass in the denervated leg to that in the sham leg was significantly higher in ß-carotene-administered mice than in control vehicle-administered ones (P< 0·05, n 5). In the denervated soleus muscle, ß-carotene administration significantly decreased the expression levels of Atrogin-1, MuRF1, USP14 and USP19 (P< 0·05, n 5) and the levels of ubiquitin conjugates. These results indicate that ß-carotene attenuates soleus muscle loss, perhaps by repressing the expressions of Atrogin-1, MuRF1, USP14 and USP19, at the early stage of soleus muscle atrophy.

Road transportation stress promptly increases bovine peripheral blood absolute NK cell counts and cortisol levels.

Livestock transportation effects on the number of circulating leukocytes have been reported. However, data related specifically to the relation between acute stress levels during transport and leukocyte differentiation, including lymphocyte subsets, are lacking. This study was undertaken to evaluate the distribution of peripheral blood leukocyte differential counts, CD25+ lymphocytes and NK cells in calves subjected to truck transportation on different road types. Healthy Japanese Black calves were divided into three treatments: 1) those moved around in a mountainous area (Group M); 2) those moved around on flatland (Group F); and 3) those that were not transported (control). The plasma cortisol levels in Group M increased during transport. The increase was significantly higher at the end of transport than in the controls (P<0.05); a slight increase was noted in Group F. Total leukocytes and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in Group M were elevated with neutrophilia at 2 hr post-transport (P<0.05); the former levels remained higher than those in the controls for 4 hr. The numbers of lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and CD25+ lymphocytes remained unchanged throughout the observations. The number of circulating NK cells in Group M increased during transport and peaked shortly after transport (P<0.05). Subsequent to these time points, the counts in Group F showed a trend toward elevation. The circulating NK cell counts were positively correlated with the plasma cortisol level during transport (M, r=0.755, P<0.0005; F, r=0.653; P<0.005). These results suggest that circulating NK cells might be more rapidly mobilized than other leukocytes. Therefore, they might reflect acute stress levels in calves during road transportation.

Comparison of the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in maternal and fetal blood, amniotic and allantoic fluids in cattle.

To characterize the maternal-fetal transport of lipophilic endocrine disrupting chemicals, concentrations of polychlorinated (2,3,7,8-substituted) dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in maternal and fetal blood, and amniotic and allantoic fluids in cattle. Total toxicity equivalent quantity (TEQ) was highest in amniotic fluid on a fat-weight basis, whereas it was highest in maternal blood on a total weight basis. TEQ was lowest in allantoic fluid on either basis; 26 of 29 congeners analyzed in this experiment were detected in one or more samples. The largest number of congeners was detected in amniotic fluid. O8CDD, 2,3,4,7,8-P5CDF and 2,3',4,4',5-P5CB were the major congeners in PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs, respectively. The O8CDD concentration was higher in fetal blood than in maternal blood on a fat-weight basis, whereas concentrations of other congeners were lower in fetal blood than in maternal blood. Furthermore, on a fat-weight basis, the O8CDD concentration was considerably higher in allantoic fluid compared with other samples. Concentrations of major PCB congeners were higher in amniotic fluid than in maternal and fetal blood on a fat-weight basis. In conclusion, it is suggested that lipophilic endocrine-disrupting chemicals contained in maternal blood are all transferred to the fetal circulation via the placenta in cattle. Furthermore, the results of this experiment imply that O8CDD has different transportation systems from other dioxins in the circulation, and that a considerable amount of PCBs is excreted and accumulated in amniotic fluid during the fetal stage in cattle.

Influence of truck-transportation on the function of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cells in cattle.

The study sought to evaluate whether truck-transportation had an impact on the respiratory immune system of cattle. Six castrated 6-10-month-old Holstein calves were shipped approximately 100 km by road for 4 h. Plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples, collected immediately before transportation, at 4 h (soon after transportation), and on days 3 and 7 after transportation, were examined. A marked elevation of plasma cortisol concentration was observed at 4 h, but this level was unchanged in controls. The chemiluminescence (CL) response of phagocytes in BAL fluid cells, composed mainly of alveolar macrophage, decreased significantly after transportation (P<0.05). Transportation increased the CD3+ T cell population significantly (P<0.05), and a significant increase (P<0.05) in the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ cells in BAL fluid was evident. We conclude that short-term road transportation alters pulmonary cells and their function, which may engender bovine respiratory disorders.