Download ACUTE PHASE PROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS IN PERITONEAL

ACUTE PHASE PROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS IN PERITONEAL FLUID OF
HORSES SUBMITTED TO EXPERIMENTAL PERITONITIS
Marina Gonzales de Carvalho, Guilherme Dias de Melo, Gisele F. Machado, Juliana R.
Peiró, Patricia A. Barnabé, Fabiano A. Cadioli, Francisco Leydson F. Feitosa, Luiz
Carlos Marques*, Luiz Claudio Nogueira Mendes.
Introduction: Peritonitis is considered to be an important complication of colic cases.
Despite advances in diagnostic methods and the immediate institution of intense medical
therapy, mortality rates remain high. Objectives: To determine, by use of SDS-PAGE,
whether peritoneal fluid protein concentrations were altered during experimentally
induced peritonitis in order to consider their possible application as inflammatory
markers in the abdominal cavity of horses. Methods: Six adult horses were randomly
divided into 2 equal groups (G1 and G2) of 3 animals each and the animals were
submitted to one of the following treatments: G1 = 1x109 colony-forming units (CFU)/5
mL of E. coli + 5 g of hemoglobin; G2 = 1x109 CFU/5mL of Bacteroides fragilis + 5 g
of hemoglobin. Abdominal fluid was collected from all animals before the inoculation
(time 0) and at 2, 4, 6, 10, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after inoculations (HAI). Peritoneal
fluid concentrations of acute phase proteins were determined by SDS-PAGE. Proteins
were identified by use of reference markers with molecular weights of 29,000, 45,000,
66,000, 97,400, 116,000 and 205,000 Da and by comparison with electrophoretic
mobility of purified albumin, fibrinogen, transferrin, haptoglobin, and α1-antitrypsin.
Results:
Acid
glycoprotein,
haptoglobulin,
•1-antitrypsin
and
ceruloplasmin
concentrations showed little variations over time and were similar in both groups. Creactive protein concentrations in the peritoneal fluid peaked 2 HAI in G1, then
progressively decreased towards the end of the study. In horses inoculated with B.
fragilis, the concentrations of C-reactive protein increased after 4 HAI, then declined for
the next two hours, and reached a second peak level by 48 HAI. Discussion: C-reactive
protein binds directly to several microorganisms, degenerating cells and cell remnants,
activates complement by the classical pathway, and acts as opsonin. Its increase at
different time points during this study may reflect the ability of animals to deal with
bacterial infections. Conclusions: Equine C-reactive protein as a major acute phase
reactant may be useful as an indicator of the inflammatory response in the abdominal
College of Veterinary Medicine from São Paulo State University. Araçatuba, SP.
This study was approved by the local Animal Care and Use Committee.
*FCAV – São Paulo State University. Jaboticabal, SP.
([email protected])
cavity.
College of Veterinary Medicine from São Paulo State University. Araçatuba, SP.
This study was approved by the local Animal Care and Use Committee.
*FCAV – São Paulo State University. Jaboticabal, SP.
([email protected])