Major plasma proteins in pig serum during postnatal development
M. Martin A , M. A. Tesouro B , N. González-Ramón C , A. Piñeiro C and F. Lampreave C DA Junta de Castilla y León, Centro de Salud, Lerma, Burgos, Spain.
B Departamento de Patología Animal (Medicina Veterinaria), Facultad de Veterinaria de León, Spain.
C Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain.
D Corresponding author. Email: lampreav@unizar.es
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 17(4) 439-445 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD04064
Submitted: 25 June 2004 Accepted: 6 February 2005 Published: 23 March 2005
Abstract
The time-course of changes in the levels of albumin, α-fetoprotein (AFP), α1-protease inhibitor (α1-antitrypsin), α1-acid glycoprotein, fetuin, haptoglobin, transferrin, IgG and the major acute-phase protein (Pig-MAP) in the blood sera of pigs during the first days and weeks of life was investigated by quantitative radial immunodiffusion. The serum of newborn pigs before suckling was characterised by a very low concentration of total proteins (approximately 25 mg mL–1), low levels of albumin and transferrin and the lack of immunoglobulins. In contrast, α1-acid glycoprotein and fetuin are present at high levels (approximately 12 and 5 mg mL–1 respectively). The results of the present study show that the piglets undergo a very rapid metabolic maturation with regard to serum proteins, evolving from a characteristic ‘fetal’ pattern to an ‘adult’ one. We have paid special attention to the evolution of haptoglobin and Pig-MAP, which are two important acute-phase proteins in pigs. The evolution of serum levels of these proteins suggests that piglets must overcome a moderate acute-phase situation during the first week of life.
Extra keywords: acute-phase proteins, haptoglobin, inter-α-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 4, major acute-phase protein (Pig-MAP), neonatal pigs.
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