Studies on monokines as mediators of the acute phase response: Effects on sialyltransferase, albumin, α 1-acid glycoprotein and β-N-acetylhexosaminidase

Rat peritoneal leukocytes (PEC) were fractionated on Percoll gradients to prepare populations of monocytes/lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes; adherent (monocyte enriched) and non-adherent (lymphocytes/polymorphonuclear leukocytes) cells were also isolated from PEC. Cytokines were prepared from PEC and subfractions and injected into rats to induce the acute phase reactants serum α 1-acid glycoprotein and sialyltransferase; negative acute phase parameters serum albumin and liver hexosaminidase were also assayed. Monocyte derived cytokines (monokines) mimicked the acute phase response of all four parameters in vivo . The sialyltransferase isoenzyme that responded to monokine was identified as the Galβ1→4GlcNAcα2→6 isoenzyme.