Identification of ovotransferrin as an acute phase protein in chickens

Acute phase reaction and acute phase proteins

A review of the systemic acute phase reaction with major cytokines involved, and the hepatic metabolic changes, negative and positive acute phase proteins (APPs) with function and associated pathology is given. It appears that APPs represent appropriate analytes for assessment of animal health. Whereas they represent non-specific markers as biological effect reactants, they can be used for assessing nutritional deficits and reactive processes, especially when positive and negative acute phase variables are combined in an index. When such acute phase index is applied to separate healthy animals from animals with some disease, much better results are obtained than with single analytes and statistically acceptable results for culling individual animals may be reached. Unfortunately at present no cheap, comprehensive and easy to use system is available for assessing various acute phase proteins in serum or blood samples at the same time. Protein microarray or fluid phase microchip technology may satisfy this need; and permit simultaneous analysis of numerous analytes in the same small volume sample and enable integration of information derived from systemic reactivity and nutrition with disease specific variables. Applying such technology may help to solve health problems in various countries not only in animal husbandry but also in human populations.

Current research on acute phase proteins in veterinary diagnosis: an overview

The acute phase proteins (APP) are a group of blood proteins that contribute to restoring homeostasis and limiting microbial growth in an antibody-independent manner in animals subjected to infection, inflammation, surgical trauma or stress. In the last two decades, many advances have been made in monitoring APP in both farm and companion animals for clinical and experimental purposes. Also, the mechanism of the APP response is receiving attention in veterinary science in connection with the innate immune systems of animals. This review describes the results of recent research on animal APP, with special reference to their induction and regulatory mechanisms, their biological functions, and their current and future applications to veterinary diagnosis and animal production.

Effects of ovotransferrin on chicken macrophages and heterophil-granulocytes

Ovotransferrin (OTF) is an acute phase protein in chickens, serum levels of which increase in inflammation and infections. To understand the significance of OTF in inflammation, we studied its in vitro effects on HD11 cells, a macrophage cell line, and heterophils isolated from blood using a panel of variables indicative of cellular activation. These included the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6), nitrite, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), oxidation of dichlorofluorescein diacetate for respiratory burst and the degranulation of heterophils by the loss of fluorescein isothiocyanate positive cytoplasmic granules. The results show that ovotransferrin stimulates the production of IL-6, nitrite and MMP by HD11 cells and augments phorbol ester-induced respiratory burst. Ovotransferrin stimulated heterophils to produce IL-6, and MMP, but failed to produce nitrite, enhanced respiratory burst activity and degranulation. These results suggest that ovotransferrin can modulate macrophage and heterophil functions in chickens.