Dietary quercetin supplementation alleviates claw lesions in dairy cows by modulating the PI3K/Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Lameness, primarily caused by claw lesions, leads to serious economic losses and animal welfare problems in dairy farms worldwide. Currently, its treatment approaches include topical application of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), improvement of the feeding environment, and therapeutic hoof trimming. However, long-term administration of NSAIDs may lead to adverse effects such as gastrointestinal complications and drug residue issues in dairy products. Recently, there was an increasing interest in the application of flavonoids in livestock management. Quercetin, a naturally abundant and cost-effective flavonoid, possesses multifunctional bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and metabolic-modulating functions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary quercetin addition on claw lesions in dairy cows and to elucidate the possible mechanisms involved. RESULTS: In dairy cows with claw lesions, dietary supplementation with quercetin (100 mg/kg body weight) over 90 days suppressed NF-κB and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways, evidenced by inhibition of the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, p65, and IκBα, while downregulating their gene expression. Concomitantly, quercetin reduced the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL-1), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 6 (CXCL-6), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)) in lamellar tissues of dairy cows with claw lesions. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our findings indicate that dietary quercetin supplementation alleviates claw lesions and decreases the inflammatory response of lamellar tissues in dairy cows by modulating the PI3K/Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways. These results suggest that quercetin may serve as a natural anti-inflammatory candidate for the management of claw lesions in dairy cattle, offering new insights to improve hoof health and animal welfare in modern dairy pastures.