Blood and liver telomere length, mitochondrial DNA copy number, and hepatic gene expression of mitochondrial dynamics in mid-lactation cows supplemented with L-carnitine under systemic inflammation

The current study was conducted to examine the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on telomere length and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) per cell in mid-lactation cows challenged by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in blood and liver. The mRNA abundance of 31 genes related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and the corresponding stress response mechanisms, the mitochondrial quality control and the protein import system, as well as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway, were assessed using microfluidics integrated fluidic circuit chips (96.96 dynamic arrays). Besides comparing the responses in cows with or without L-carnitine, our objectives were to characterize the oxidative and inflammatory status by assessing the circulating concentration of lactoferrin (Lf), haptoglobin (Hp), fibrinogen, derivates of reactive oxygen metabolites (dROM), and arylesterase activity (AEA), and to extend the measurement of Lf and Hp to milk. Pluriparous Holstein cows were assigned to either a control group (CON, n = 26) or an L-carnitine supplemented group (CAR; 25 g L-carnitine/cow/d; d 42 ante partum to d 126 postpartum (pp), n = 27). On d 111 pp, each cow was injected intravenously with LPS (Escherichia coli O111: B4, 0.5 µg/kg). The mRNA abundance was examined in liver biopsies of d −11 and +1 relative to LPS administration. Plasma and milk samples were frequently collected before and after the challenge. After LPS administration, circulating plasma fibrinogen and serum dROM concentrations increased, whereas AEA decreased. Moreover, serum P4 initially increased by 3 h after LPS administration and declined thereafter irrespective of grouping. The Lf concentrations increased in both groups after LPS administration, with the CAR group showing greater concentrations in serum and milk than the CON group. After LPS administration, telomere length in blood increased, whereas mtDNAcn per cell decreased; however, both remained unaffected in liver. For mitochondrial protein import genes, the hepatic mRNA abundance of the translocase of the mitochondrial inner membrane (TIM)-17B was increased in CAR cows. Moreover, TIM23 increased in both groups after LPS administration. Regarding the mRNA abundance of genes related to stress response mechanisms, 7 out of 14 genes showed group × time interactions, indicating a (local) protective effect due to the dietary L-carnitine supplementation against oxidative stress in mid-lactating dairy cows. For mtDNAcn and telomere length, the effects of the LPS-induced inflammation were more pronounced than the dietary supplementation of L-carnitine. Dietary L-carnitine supplementation affected the response to LPS primarily by altering mitochondrial dynamics. Regarding mRNA abundance of genes related to the mitochondrial protein import system, the inner mitochondrial membrane translocase (TIM complex) seemed to be more sensitive to dietary L-carnitine than the outer mitochondrial membrane translocase (TOM complex).