Levels of messenger ribonucleic acids for plasma proteins in rat liver during acute experimental inflammation.
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Abstrakt
The levels of mRNA for plasma proteins and for metallothionein in rat liver during the acute-phase response were studied by hybridization to specific cDNA probes. The mRNA for alpha 2-macroglobulin, the beta-chain of fibrinogen, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (so-called acute-phase reactants) reached a maximum level between 18 and 36 h after inducing an acute inflammation. The level of mRNA for metallothionein-I peaked earlier, after 12 h. The mRNA for transferrin showed a delayed increase with a broad maximum for its relative level after 36-60 h. The mRNA levels for albumin and alpha 2u-globulin (so-called negative acute-phase reactants) decreased, reaching a minimum of 25% of the normal level after 36 h (albumin) and after 72 h (alpha 2u-globulin). The ratios of the rates of incorporation of leucine into the proteins over the levels of their mRNA in liver changed only a little, indicating that the rates of synthesis of plasma proteins in the liver are regulated at the mRNA level during the acute-phase response to inflammation.