From Feed to Function

When you get sick or injured do you ever think about what is happening within your body to return to your normal health? As part of my research as a PhD student and FFAR Fellow at Michigan State University, I think about this a lot—but for dairy cows. Just like humans, during an illness or injury the cow’s immune system is hard at work to clear infections, repair tissue and return the body back to good health. The immune system is composed of a network of organs, tissues, cells and signaling molecules. While the immune system is activated during an infection, there are many factors affecting how well it functions, some of which include genetics, age and environmental stressors. Additionally, foods have immense impacts on how well the immune system functions.

Besides the macronutrients (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins) that you are likely familiar with, many plant, animal and microbial-derived foods are filled with bioactive compounds. These compounds are considered “bioactive” because they elicit biological effects on various body systems – in other terms, they have biological activity. Many of these compounds have profound effects on the immune system. Common examples of foods with bioactive compounds are salmon and berries which are rich in the bioactive compounds omega-3 fatty acids and phenolic acids, respectively.

My research investigates the effects of various bioactive compounds on the dairy cow’s immune system. To address my research questions, I look both at what happens to the cow’s immune system during periods of high stress, such as the postpartum period, and what happens to specific immune cell populations under pathogen pressure using ex vivo assays. An ex vivo assay manipulates a biological sample from the cow in the lab without needing to apply the treatment to the cow. These methods act as a proxy for how the cells might react in the cow but because I am conducting the stimulation in the lab outside of the cow, the cow is not exposed to the pathogen. In my research I use immune cells from the cow and then stimulate the cells with bacteria.

A large part of my research focuses on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on the immune system. These fatty acids are typically thought to be anti-inflammatory, but rather than suppress the immune response, they might help it to be more efficient. Using a combination of methods, I found that these omega-3 fatty acids help the cow’s immune cells kill and eliminate harmful bacteria. As I mentioned earlier, these bioactive compounds can affect various tissues and systems within the body, which I also saw with these omega-3 fatty acids. Beyond their role in the immune system, these fatty acids may have positive effects on the reproductive system and support uterine health.

In addition to omega-3 fatty acids, my lab has ongoing research evaluating the immunomodulatory properties of tart cherry pits. Normally, these pits go into the landfill, however, we found that these pits possess untapped potential. Using an extract from the tart cherry pit, we first conducted a cell culture experiment to show the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity of the pit extract without affecting the cells’ viability. From here, we wanted to know if these results could be replicated in the body, so we started with chickens. In our pilot study, the tart cherry pit extract showed promise that it may decrease inflammatory activity similar to our cell study. Our investigation of the tart cherry pit extract is ongoing, and our next steps are to see how feeding the tart cherry pit extract affects the immune system and inflammatory state in dairy cows.

Through my research at Michigan State University, we have potential to develop new dietary strategies that support the immune system, build resilience and keep our livestock healthy. The FFAR Fellows Program plays a pivotal part in my graduate program. Through the Fellows program, I have grown tremendously in my communication skills, which has strengthened my ability to discuss my research and communicate more effectively with my research team. I thank my sponsor Natural Biologics and my mentors, including my advisor Dr. Barry Bradford for supporting me through this program and helping me to become a better scientist and future leader. I am very grateful to my FFAR Fellows cohort who have held me accountable for my goals and helped me grow!