Rumen-protected choline and methionine during the periparturient period affect choline metabolites, amino acids, and hepatic expression of genes associated with one-carbon and lipid metabolism

Authors: POTTS, SARAH - University Of Maryland; Brady, Kristen; SCHOLTE, CYNTHIA - University Of Maryland; MOYES, KASEY - University Of Maryland; SUNNY, NISHANTH - University Of Maryland; ERDMAN, RICHARD - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/29/2022
Publication Date: 2/2/2023
Citation: Potts, S., Brady, K.M., Scholte, C.M., Moyes, K.M., Sunny, N.E., Erdman, R.A. 2023. Rumen-protected choline and methionine during the periparturient period affect choline metabolites, amino acids, and hepatic expression of genes associated with one-carbon and lipid metabolism. Journal of Dairy Science. 102 (4):102547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2023.102547.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2023.102547

Interpretive Summary: Both choline and methionine have been shown to elicit changes in production when supplemented between late pregnancy and early lactation. In this study, supplemental choline consistently increased secretion of total lysophosphatidylcholine in milk for primi- and multiparous cows, although this effect was dependent on methionine supplementation in primiparous cows. Choline and methionine both altered secretion of several individual species of phosphatidylcholine in milk for multiparous cows and their concentrations in plasma for primiparous cows. Results suggest that both choline and methionine affect choline metabolism but through different ways.

Technical Abstract: Feeding supplemental choline and Met during the periparturient period can have positive effects on cow performance; however, the mechanisms by which these nutrients affect performance and metabolism are unclear. The objective of this experiment was to determine if providing rumen-protected choline (RPC), rumen-protected Met (RPM), or both during the periparturient period modifies the choline metabolite profile of plasma and milk, plasma amino acid (AA), and hepatic mRNA expression of genes associated with choline, Met, and lipid metabolism. Cows (25 primiparous, 29 multiparous) were blocked by expected calving date and parity and randomly assigned to one of four treatments: CON (no RPC or RPM); CHO (13.0 g/d choline ion); MET (9 g/d DL-methionine prepartum; 13.5 g/d DL-methionine, postpartum); or CHO + MET. Treatments were applied daily as a top dress from ~21 d prepartum through 35 days in milk (DIM). On the day of treatment enrollment (d -19±2 relative to calving), blood samples were collected for covariate measurements. At 7 and 14 DIM, samples of blood and milk were collected for analysis of choline metabolites, including 16 species of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and 4 species of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). Blood was also analyzed for AA concentrations. Liver samples collected from multiparous cows on the day of treatment enrollment (d -19±2 relative to calving) and at 7 DIM were used for gene expression analysis. There was no consistent effect of CHO or MET on milk or plasma free choline, betaine, sphingomyelin, or glycerophosphocholine. However, CHO increased milk secretion of total lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) irrespective of MET for multiparous cows and in absence of MET for primiparous cows. Furthermore, CHO increased or tended to increase milk secretion of LPC 16:0, LPC 18:1, and LPC 18:0 for primi- and multiparous cows, although the response varied with MET supplementation. Feeding CHO also increased plasma concentrations of LPC 16:0 and LPC 18:1 in absence of MET for multiparous cows. While milk secretion of total PC was unaffected, CHO and MET increased secretion of 6 and 5 individual PC species for multiparous cows, respectively. Plasma concentrations of total PC and individual PC species were unaffected by CHO or MET for multiparous cows, but MET reduced total PC and 11 PC species during wk 2 postpartum for primiparous cows. Feeding MET consistently increased plasma methionine concentrations for both primi- and multiparous cows. Additionally, MET decreased plasma serine concentrations during wk 2 postpartum and increased plasma phenylalanine in absence of CHO for multiparous cows. In absence of MET, CHO tended to increase hepatic mRNA expression of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase and phosphate cytidylyltransferase 1 choline, a but tended to decrease expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor a irrespective of MET. Results from this study suggest that both CHO and MET affect choline metabolism during the periparturient period, although the implications of these changes for the periparturient cow are yet to be understood.