Turpentine-induced decrease of alpha 1-foetoprotein in the serum of the developing rat: a novel parameter of the inflammatory response.

Abstract

The acute phase of an inflammation induced in young rats, at various ages between 1 and 21 days after birth, by a single subcutaneous turpentine injection, is accompanied by a 35%-45% decrease of the alpha 1-foetoprotein serum concentrations. This fall is demonstrated with equilibrium dialysis binding methods, evidencing the loss of about 1/3 of the high affinity estrogen binding sites characteristic for the rat foetoprotein, as well as by specific immunoassay of the foetoprotein concentrations. This negative response is coincidental with classical inflammatory changes of the plasma proteins, similar to those defined in adults: in particular we evidence 5 to 10 fold rises of haptoglobin, as early as the first post-natal day. We discuss the implications of these findings for ontogenic and mechanistic aspects of the inflammatory response.