Differential Changes in alpha₂-Macroglobulin and Hemopexin in Brain and Liver in Response to Acute Inflammation

L. Saso¹, M. G. Leone¹, Meng-Yun Mo², E. Grippa¹, C. Yan Cheng², and B. Silvestrini^1*

¹Department of Pharmacology of Natural Substances and General Physiology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", P. le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; fax: (011-39-06) 4991-2480; E-mail: silvestrini@uniroma1.it

²The Population Council, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, USA

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received January 22, 1999

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Changes in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins following generalized acute inflammation induced by fermented yeast in the rat was examined by concanavalin A-blotting, immunoblotting, and radioimmunoassay. Using alpha₂-macroglobulin (alpha₂-M) and hemopexin (HPX) as marker proteins, the concentration alpha₂-M was found to increase in serum and CSF by 150- and 5-fold, respectively, whereas the concentration of HPX increased by about 4-fold in both fluids following yeast-induced inflammation. The lesser increase in alpha₂-M in the CSF versus the systemic circulation is not likely to be the result of changes in the permeability of the blood--brain barrier, since no change in the total protein content of CSF was detected in inflamed rats when compared to control animals. These results, however, illustrate the regulation of the same protein, such as alpha₂-M, in two separate organs within the same animal can be drastically different. These results also suggest a possible protective role of alpha₂-M in the brain during acute inflammation. Moreover, these observations are consistent with the previous observation that there is a differential response in the level of alpha₂-M between the testis and the systemic circulation during inflammation.

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KEY WORDS: rat, acute inflammation, fermented yeast, acute-phase proteins, alpha₂-macroglobulin, hemopexin, cerebrospinal fluid, concanavalin A

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