β-Hydroxybutyrate-induced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release mediated innate inflammatory response in bovine mammary epithelial cells by inhibiting autophagy.

Background: In perinatal dairy cows, ketosis is a prevalent metabolic disorder that lowers milk output and performance. Mitochondrial dysfunction and chronic inflammation in mammary tissue are linked to elevated blood ketone levels, particularly β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). Recent research has linked cytosolic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with chronic aseptic inflammation by activating the cGAS-STING pathway during metabolic disorders, while autophagy activation effectively reverses this process.