Unit 1: Nature of the Immune System

Part 3: Cytokines and Acute Phase Reactants

Cytokines
1. Tumor necrosis factors (TNF) named because they induced
lysis in tumor cells; many types with diverse biological
functions, including vasodilation and increased
vasopermeability
2. Interferons named because they interfere with viral
replication; first line of defense against viruses – tries to keep
it localized; activate NK cells
3. Chemokines (also known as a chemotaxin) family that
enhances motility and promotes migration of WBC toward
the chemokine source via a process known as chemotaxis
4. Colony stimulating factors (CSF) stimulate hematopoiesis
to replenish various cell populations when needed
5. Interleukins (IL) secreted by leukocytes and mainly act on
other leukocytes (WBC-to-WBC communication); IL1-IL38
Acute-Phase Reactants
□ Defined: normal serum constituents that increase rapidly
because of infection, injury, or trauma to tissues

□ In response to injury local inflammatory cells (neutrophils,

granulocytes and macrophages) secrete a number of cytokines
into the bloodstream, most notable of which are the
interleukins

□ The liver responds by producing a large number of

acute-phase reactants
 C-Reactive Protein
□ Increases rapidly within 4-6 hours of infection
or injury
□ Returns to normal rapidly once condition
subsides
□ Non-specific, but very sensitive
□ Used to monitor healing and has also
increased in usefulness in diagnosing
myocardial infarction (heart attack)
 Serum Amyloid A
□ Major protein secreted during the acute phase
of inflammation
□ Has several roles, including
■ Removes cholesterol from cholesterol-filled
macrophages at site of injury – clean up
■ Recruitment of immune cells to inflammatory
sites
■ Thought to play a role in cholesterol metabolism
 Complement
□ A series of serum proteins involved in
mediation of inflammation but also involved
in
1. Opsonization
2. Chemotaxis
3. Cell lysis
 Alpha1-Antitrypsin
□ Increases during acute inflammation
□ Protects tissues from enzymes of inflammatory cells,
especially elastase (a protease)
□ When the lungs do not have enough
alpha1-antitrypsin, elastase is free to destroy lung
tissue
□ As a result, the lungs lose some of their ability to
expand and contract (elasticity). This leads to
emphysema and sometimes makes breathing
difficult.
 Haptoglobin
□ Binds irreversibly to free hemoglobin to
protect kidneys from damage and prevent loss
of iron by urinary excretion
□ Haptoglobin/hemoglobin complex removed
by RES, mainly spleen
□ Used to monitor hemolysis
 Fibrinogen
□ A coagulation factor integral to clot formation
which serves as a barrier to prevent spread of
microorganisms further in the body
□ Levels increase with tissue inflammation or
tissue destruction
 Ceruloplasmin
□ Principal copper transporting protein in plasma, plays a role
in iron metabolism and histamine regulation
□ Stimulates the immune system to fight infections, repair
injured tissues and promote healing
□ Depletion found in Wilson’s disease, causes the body to
absorb and retain excessive amounts of copper
■ Copper deposits in the liver, brain, kidneys, and the eyes
■ The deposits of copper cause tissue damage, necrosis
(death of the tissues), and scarring, which causes
decreased functioning of the organs affected
■ Liver failure and damage to the central nervous system
(brain, spinal cord) are the most predominant, and the
most dangerous, effects of the disorder