The Effect of Starvation on Acute Phase Proteins and Adiponectin Levels in Rats

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of acute starvation constituted in rats, on C-reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin (Hp), albumin, ceruloplasmin and cytokine (Adiponectin) synthesized from the adipose tissue. Twenty adults, 250-300 grams of weight, non-pregnant, Wistar type of female rats were used in this study. The rats were randomly divided into two groups, as control and experimental groups. The rats in the experimental group were given only water, while the rats in the control group were fed regularly according to their routine feeding habits for 48 hours. Blood samples were collected intracardiac under the anaesthesia. Serum CRP, Hp, albumin, ceruloplasmin, adiponectin, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), glucose and urea levels were studied. Albumin, total protein, triglyceride, glucose and ALT levels were significantly lower, whereas urea and AST levels were higher in the starving/fasting group compared to the control group. Regarding the acute phase proteins, there was a statistically insignificant decrease in the CRP and Hp levels, and increase in ceruloplasmin levels in the starving/fasting group. Adiponectin and cholesterol levels were higher; GGT level was a lover in the starving group compared to the control group and both of the differences were statistically insignificant. Statistically significant increases in urea and AST levels were observed. As a result, the levels of positive APP’s didn’t change significantly with acute starving whereas a negative APP, albumin, decreased significantly. The tendency in the increase of adiponectin levels is another important data that we obtained in this study. Starving of human beings may occur as a result of various psychological, social and organic reasons, and we speculate that the physiological and biochemical effects of acute starving stated in our study could be a reference for further studies related to this subject.

Keywords

• Rat
• Starvation
• Acute phase proteins
• Adiponectins

References

1. Arita, Y., Kihara, S, Ouchi, N., Takahashi, M., Maeda, K., Miyagawa, J., Hotta, K,, Shimomura, I., Nakamura, T., Miyaoka, K., Kuriyama, H., Nishida, M., Yamashita, S., Okubo, K., Matsubara, K., Muraguchi, M., Ohmoto, Y., Funahashi, T.&Matsuzawa, Y. (1999). Paradoxical decrease of an adipose specific protein, adiponectin, in obesity. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 257, 79-83. https://doi.org/10.1006/bbrc.1999.0255
2. Burl, R., Don, B.R & Kaysen, G.(2004). Serum albumin: Relationship to inflammation and nutrition. Seminars in Dialysis, 432–437. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0894-0959.2004.17603.x
3. Cray, C., Zaias, J. & Altman, N.H.(2009) Acute phase response in animals: a rewiev. Comperative Medicine. 59(6); 517-526.
4. Eckersall P.D. & Bell R.(2010) Acute phase proteins: Biomarkers of infection and inflammation in veterinary medicine. Veterinary Journal. 185(1):23-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2010.04.009