THE ACUTE PHASE RESPONSE OF C-3, C5, CERULOPLASMIN, AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN-INDUCED BY TURPENTINE PLEURISY IN THE RABBIT

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 120  (1) , 146-156
Abstract
Concentrations of 5 serum proteins, [complement component] C3, C5, ceruloplasmin, C-reactive protein and albumin, were measured during the acute phase response in rabbits with turpentine-induced pleurisy. C-reactive protein concentrations in the circulation rose abruptly between 12 and 36 h to a level > 50 times the pretreatment concentration, then returned to undetectable amounts by 96 h. C3 and ceruloplasmin both showed some increase in concentration by 12 h and reached their maximum concentrations of 2-3 times the baseline levels 48-72 h after the turpentine treatment. Concentrations were still elevated at 120 h, after which time they gradually returned to normal. C5 and albumin concentrations in the turpentine-treated rabbits did not differ from the baseline concentrations. The same 5 proteins were measured in the inflammatory exudate. C-reactive protein was not detectable at any of the time points. C3, C5, ceruloplasmin and albumin were present in normal pleural fluid at roughly half their serum concentrations. The activities of C3, C5 and ceruloplasmin were low in the early exudate, but C3 and C5 activity rose relative to their concentrations in the later samples of pleural fluid. The specific activities of C3 and C5 were higher in the pleural fluid at 72 h than in plasma, while that of ceruloplasmin remained less in the pleural fluid than in plasma throughout the experiment. The involvement of these proteins and their relation to the inflammatory response are discussed.