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www.benisonmedia.com ARTICLE Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 11 | Issue 12 | Oct 2025 Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 11 | Issue 12 | Oct 2025 www.benisonmedia.com

Fig. 1. Metabolic reprogramming during mastitis and the role of PFKFB3.
Image Source: Laboratorios LABIS

Mastitis has long been seen mitochondria, thereby
as an infectious disease. New supporting elevated
research shows it is also a glycolytic flux in proliferating
metabolic disorder. During or metabolically active cells.
infection, immune and In mastitis, HK activity is
mammary epithelial cells increased to secure a
shift from oxidative continuous supply of
metabolism to aerobic
glycolysis —a rapid but less
Mastitis and Metabolism: pathways highlight the efficient method of
generating energy. This is
immune metabolic basis of
The Overlooked Connection bovine infectious diseases. similar to the Warburg effect
described in cancer cells
Integrating these insights
(O'Neill et al., 2016).
with epitope mapping for
“During mastitis, immune cells accelerate glycolysis to support diagnostic development, Glycolysis on overdrive:
defence, while invading bacteria exploit host metabolism to along with the design of HKII, PFKP, and PKM2
drive their growth.” potential inhibitors using in Glycolysis is initiated by
silico docking, could further hexokinase (HK), which
by Sundram Singh and Swati Sangolgi, Master's (Animal Biochemistry), ICAR-NDRI, Karnal
advance both detection and phosphorylates glucose and
therapeutic strategies. thereby traps it within the
Abstract through HIF-1α–mediated cytokine
Emerging evidence on these cell. In the context of
Mastitis, one of the costliest diseases production. At the same time,
enzymes in mastitis and mastitis, HK functions as the
in dairy herds, is increasingly disruption of the tricarboxylic acid
sepsis highlights their critical gateway enzyme that
recognized not only as an infectious (TCA) cycle leads to the accumulation
potential as targets for secures a continuous energy
disorder but also as a metabolic one. of succinate—a pro-inflammatory
innovative diagnostic and supply. Its expression and
During infection, mammary and metabolite—and itaconate, which
metabolic interventions, activity are closely regulated
immune cells undergo profound exerts antibacterial and anti-
offering new opportunities by signalling pathways such
metabolic reprogramming that fuels inflammatory effects.
for earlier disease detection, as PI3K/Akt/mTOR, which are
both defence and inflammation. The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP)
reduced dependence on activated by insulin and
Glycolysis is rapidly upregulated, is also redirected to produce NADPH,
antibiotics, and more growth factors. This
driven by key enzymes such as sustaining reactive oxygen species
sustainable approaches to regulation enhances HK
hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (ROS) generation that contributes to
udder health management. transcription and promotes
(PFK), and pyruvate kinase (PK), which pathogen clearance but also causes
Introduction its association with
amplify inflammatory signalling tissue damage. These interconnected
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