title: Biomarkers for the activation of calcium metabolism in dairy cows: elevation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity by lowering dietary cation-anion difference is associated with the prevention of milk fever.
abstract: In our previous study, it was demonstrated that the administration of anion salts, which slightly lower the dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD), in the prepartum period is safe and effective for preventing milk fever in multiparous cows. In the present study, several biomarkers, which might show activation of Ca metabolism, were analyzed using stored samples in the previous study to investigate the mechanism of the preventive effect on milk fever by lowering DCAD. Changes in bone-specific alkaline phosphatase activity, osteocalcin and insulin-like growth factor I concentrations in serum were almost the same among the three groups of multiparous cows with or without the oral administration of anion salts, while the levels of these serum biomarkers in the group of primiparous cows (heifer group) were much higher compared with those in the three multiparous groups throughout the experimental period. Urinary deoxypyridinoline excretion was not a useful biomarker for dairy cows because it hardly changed during the peripartum period in all groups. However, serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity, which is known as a biomarker of osteoclast activity, was well associated with the administration of anion salts lowering DCAD because among the three multiparous groups, only the group of multiparous cows fed the anion salts (anion group) showed an increased level, which rose to the level in the heifer group, and was markedly higher than those in the other control groups of multiparous cows. The increased activity of serum TRAP in the anion group suggested that Ca in the plasma pool was mobilized smoothly from bone-bound Ca via mature osteoclasts at parturition, which might be due to prior activation under mild acidosis induced by slightly lowering DCAD. Therefore, TRAP was the best biomarker to monitor the activation of Ca metabolism in dairy cows fed anion salts.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Japan.
authors.forename: Naotoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kurosaki
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yamato
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Fuminobu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imoto
authors.forename: Yoshimitsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maede
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000838:Anions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002412:Cations / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D010319:Parturient Paresis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D000071681:Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase
chemical_list: D000838:Anions; D015415:Biomarkers; D002412:Cations; D007527:Isoenzymes; D015675:Osteocalcin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D000071681:Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium