Short communication: Regulation of hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes by dietary glycerol in transition dairy cows

Nutritional status and glucose precursors are known regulators of gluconeogenic gene expression. Glycerol can replace corn in diets fed to dairy cows and use of glycerol is linked to increased rumen propionate production. The effect of dietary glycerol on the regulation of gluconeogenic enzymes is unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of glycerol on expression of pyruvate carboxylase (PC), cytosolic and mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-C and PEPCK-M), and glucose-6-phosphatase. Twenty-six multiparous Holstein cows were fed either a control diet or a diet where high-moisture corn was replaced by glycerol from −28 through +56 d relative to calving (DRTC). Liver tissue was collected via percutaneous liver biopsy at −28, −14, +1, +14, +28, and +56 DRTC for RNA analysis. Expression of PC mRNA increased 6-fold at +1 and 4-fold at +14 DRTC relative to precalving levels. Dietary glycerol did not alter expression of PC mRNA expression. Expression of PEPCK-C increased 2.5-fold at +14 and 3-fold at +28 DRTC compared with +1 DRTC. Overall, dietary glycerol increased PEPCK-C expression compared with that of cows fed control diets. The ratio of PC to PEPCK-C was increased 6.3-fold at +1 DRTC compared with precalving and tended to be decreased in cows fed glycerol. We detected no effect of diet or DRTC on PEPCK-M or glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA, and there were no interactions of dietary treatment and DRTC for any transcript measured. Substituting corn with glycerol increased the expression of PEPCK-C mRNA during transition to lactation and suggests that dietary energy source alters hepatic expression. The observed increase in PEPCK-C expression with glycerol feeding may indicate regulation of hepatic gene expression by changes in rumen propionate production.