Proteins of rat serum: III. Gender-related differences in protein concentration under baseline conditions and upon experimental inflammation as evaluated by two-dimensional electrophoresis

Proteomics of rat biological fluids — The tenth anniversary update

“…As for the effect of gender, the concentration of Creactive protein and apolipoprotein E is ca. 25%, of hemopexin almost 50%, of thiostatin 400% higher in females than in males whereas α 1 B-glycoprotein can be detected only in serum of females [5,15]. Conversely, α 2 -HS-glycoprotein and α 1 -antitrypsin are about 25 and 30%, Gc-globulin and retinol-binding protein about 100% higher in males than in females.…”

“…At a difference from mice [2,3], rat serum proteome has two peculiarities. One is the very prominent sexual dimorphism in liver secretion, which results in serum patterns that may be recognized at first sight as of males or females [4,5]. The other is the extreme divergence between the pattern corresponding to baseline conditions and that corresponding to an inflammatory state [4,5].…”

“…One is the very prominent sexual dimorphism in liver secretion, which results in serum patterns that may be recognized at first sight as of males or females [4,5]. The other is the extreme divergence between the pattern corresponding to baseline conditions and that corresponding to an inflammatory state [4,5]. The virtual absence under the former of circulating thiostatin in male rats sharply contrasts with the very high levels of expression under the latter: once more, the two patterns can be differentiated at first sight.…”

“…Analysis of rat serum by 2-DE thus provides a very sensitive way to monitor onset and progression of any pathological state involving an inflammatory component as well as to assess the outcome of any therapeutic intervention. We could validate such principles in a few model systems (various types of experimentallyinduced inflammation [5][6][7], a genetically-determined susceptibility to cerebro-vascular disease [8][9][10][11]). We could then apply similar concepts to the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteome [12].…”

“…C-reactive protein is instead the main APR in humans, with an extremely low baseline concentration and very rapid up-regulation in the order of 1000-fold after a noxa. Conversely, C-reactive protein is expressed at high levels in rat serum already under baseline conditions (the spots in a 2-DE gel may be clearly detected by Coomassie staining) to become only slightly up-regulated (less than 5-fold) during an acute phase reaction, with a slower increase (peak concentration 2-3 days after stimulus) [5].…”