Hepatocyte apoptosis in dairy cows with fatty infiltration of the liver

The objective of the present study was to analyse the apoptotic process of liver cells in dairy cows with fatty infiltration of the liver using indicators of DNA damage and immunohistochemistry. For this purpose, sixteen dairy cows with fatty liver were examined. On clinical examination, the physical condition of the animals was fair in nine and poor in seven cows. The most dominant clinical signs were reduced ruminal motility, inappetance and/or anorexia and recumbency. Postmortem examination, in seven cases, revealed enlarged liver (18–33 kg), icteric carcasses and distended gallbladder. Laboratory results included neutrophilia, hypochloraemia, decreased concentrations of total bilirubin and increased concentrations of β-hydroxy butyric acid, non-esterified fatty acids and insulin. The activities of aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase were high. Histopathological examination of hepatic specimen showed lipid drops in cytosol with indistinct cellular membranes. In control hepatic cells, the DNA was tightly compressed and maintained the circular disposition of the normal nucleus. However, in the diseased cows, the damaged DNA migrated from the core toward the anode, forming a tail of a comet. Compared to controls, numerous ssDNA and caspase-3-positive cells were detected in the liver. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to document accelerated apoptosis of hepatocytes in dairy cows with fatty infiltration of the liver.