A high concentrate diet inhibits forkhead box protein A2 expression, and induces oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and mitochondrial unfolded protein response in the liver of dairy cows

High-concentrate diets induced subacute ruminal acidosis in dairy cows, with rumen pH dropping below 5.6 for more than 4 hours per day.

• FOXA2 mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced in the liver of cows on a high-concentrate diet compared to those on a low-concentrate diet.
• The activity of several antioxidant enzymes decreased in the liver of cows fed the high-concentrate diet, while oxidative stress markers increased.
• Mitochondrial dynamics were disrupted in the high-concentrate group, indicated by changes in mRNA levels of fusion and fission proteins.
• The expression of key mitochondrial biogenesis regulators was downregulated in the liver of cows on a high-concentrate diet.
• The high-concentrate diet upregulated markers of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response and increased apoptosis-related proteins in the liver.

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