Characterization of the acute phase serum protein response in pigs

Abstract

Acute inflammation was induced in pigs using a single subcutaneous turpentine injection. The acute phase serum protein response was analyzed using crossed immunoelectrophoresis and immunodiffusion. The concentration of C reactive protein and haptoglobin increases 5-7 times 48 h after the injection, whereas the concentration of an alpha 2-globulin, named pig major acute phase protein (pig-MAP), increases at least 15-fold. A molecular mass of 115 kDa for pig-MAP was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This protein did not crossreact with antisera to human hemopexin, ceruloplasmin, H-kininogen and complement factor C3. Albumin and alpha-lipoprotein were negative acute phase proteins because their concentration significantly decreased during inflammation. Finally, the concentration of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, fetuin, alpha 1-protease inhibitor, transferrin and alpha 2-macroglobulins, as well as total proteins, did not change significantly during inflammation.

Pig Major Acute-Phase Protein and apolipoprotein A-I responses correlate with the clinical course of experimentally induced African Swine Fever and Aujeszky's disease

“…Decreases in apo A-I concentration during acute phase processes have been described in other species [27,43], suggesting that it could be involved in the modulation of inflammation [1,6]. Slight decreases in albumin and transferrin concentrations were also observed in pigs after turpentine induced inflammation [21].…”

“…Studies have shown important variation in the APP response among species. APP were first characterised in humans [20], rodents [19,22] and later in other animal species, such as pigs [13,21]. Clinical use of APP determination has been proposed in veterinary medicine to determine the health status of farm animals in various production processes [14,28,39].…”

“…Clinical use of APP determination has been proposed in veterinary medicine to determine the health status of farm animals in various production processes [14,28,39]. Increases in haptoglobin (Hp), C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A in pigs with induced inflammation or bacterial infection have been reported [13,18,21]. In previous works carried out at our laboratory, a new 120 kDa plasma glycoprotein, which was denominated Pig Major Acute Phase protein (Pig-MAP), was identified as a relevant acute phase protein in animals under turpentine-induced inflammation [17,21].…”

“…Increases in haptoglobin (Hp), C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A in pigs with induced inflammation or bacterial infection have been reported [13,18,21]. In previous works carried out at our laboratory, a new 120 kDa plasma glycoprotein, which was denominated Pig Major Acute Phase protein (Pig-MAP), was identified as a relevant acute phase protein in animals under turpentine-induced inflammation [17,21]. This protein was also referred to as PK-120 [26] or IHRP [36] being subsequently denominated ITIH4 (heavy chain 4 of the inter-alpha trypsin inhibitor family) [5].…”

“…This protein was also referred to as PK-120 [26] or IHRP [36] being subsequently denominated ITIH4 (heavy chain 4 of the inter-alpha trypsin inhibitor family) [5]. Increases in the ITIH4 concentration under different physio-pathological situations have been reported in pigs [18,21,38], rats [10,17], bovines [30], humans [29,43] and mice [12]. In addition, we have previously reported that apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I), the major protein component of high density lipoprotein (HDL), shows prominent decreases during experimental bacterial infection and acute inflammation [7,25].…”