Inter-alpha-inhibitor (I alpha I) concentration in pig plasma is independent of acute phase protein response

Human inter-alpha-inhibitor (I alpha I) has been shown to exert a beneficia l therapeutic effect in a porcine model of endotoxin shock. It is therefore useful to have a better understanding of I alpha I metabolism during sever e inflammatory syndromes. Experimental bacterial pneumonia was induced in pigs. The acute phase respo nse was highlighted by an increase in pig major acute phase protein (pig-MA P) and haptoglobin concentrations in plasma collected daily over 4 days. In the same samples, the I alpha I levers remained unchanged. Moreover, cross ed-immunoelectrophoretic and immunoblot analyses did not show any qualitati ve modification of I alpha I throughout the experiment. I alpha I has been reported to be a negative acute phase protein in both hu mans and rats. Here we demonstrated that I alpha I behavior clearly differs in humans and pigs and is definitively species specific.