NMR-based Metabolomics of Plasma from Dairy Calves Infected With Two Primary Causal Agents of Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD)

Authors

• Mariana Santos-Rivera, Mississippi State University
• Nicholas C. Fitzkee, Mississippi State University
• Rebecca A. Hill, Mississippi State University
• Richard E. Baird, Mississippi State University
• Ellianna Blair, Mississippi State University
• Merrilee Thoresen, Mississippi State University
• Amelia R. Woolums, Mississippi State University
• Florencia Meyer, Mississippi State University
• Carrie K. Vance, Mississippi State University

ORCID

CVance: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8466-6077

MSU Affiliation

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology; College of Arts and Sciences; Department of Chemistry; College of Veterinary Medicine; Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine

Creation Date

2026-10-30

Abstract

Each year, bovine respiratory disease (BRD) results in significant economic loss in the cattle sector, and novel metabolic profiling for early diagnosis represents a promising tool for developing effective measures for disease management. Here, ¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectra were used to characterize metabolites from blood plasma collected from male dairy calves (n = 10) intentionally infected with two of the main BRD causal agents, bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and Mannheimia haemolytica (MH), to generate a well-defined metabolomic profile under controlled conditions. In response to infection, 46 metabolites (BRSV = 32, MH = 33) changed in concentration compared to the uninfected state. Fuel substrates and products exhibited a particularly strong effect, reflecting imbalances that occur during the immune response. Furthermore, ¹H-NMR spectra from samples from the uninfected and infected stages were discriminated with an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity ≥ 95% using chemometrics to model the changes associated with disease, suggesting that metabolic profiles can be used for further development, understanding, and validation of novel diagnostic tools.

Publication Date

2-15-2023

Publication Title

Scientific Reports

Publisher

Nature Research

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Rights

© The Author(s) 2023

Recommended Citation

Santos-Rivera, M., Fitzkee, N.C., Hill, R.A. et al. NMR-based metabolomics of plasma from dairy calves infected with two primary causal agents of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Sci Rep 13, 2671 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29234-3