Some acute phase proteins in inflammatory processes, including those in mammary gland of cows (review)

Introduction . Innate immunity is controlled by a complex network of activating and regulatory mechanisms. One of the most important factors in this regulation is the acute phase response in the liver. Following infection or tissue damage, protein synthesis patterns in the liver change dramatically within a few hours: expression of the so-called positive and negative acute phase proteins (APPs) increases. The most common application of acute phase proteins is diagnostics and assessment of tissue damage in humans, inter alia in inflammatory processes. APPs are important for diagnosing inflammation because their concentrations rapidly increase and fluctuate significantly during various pathological processes. However, most APPs lack specificity with respect to the primary cause of inflammation. In veterinary medicine, this factor accounts for their rare use as a primary diagnostic test for a specific disease. Objective . The aim of this review was to summarize data on the APPs most widely used in clinical practice and to examine the results of existing veterinary studies investigating APPs in the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases in the mammary gland of cows. Materials and methods . The data were summarized for this literature review using the elements of the PRISMA statement. The AMSTAR method was used to assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The search and selection of original publications was conducted using Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, MedLine, ScienceDirect, and eLibrary databases. Results . This article examines the most studied inflammatory APPs and describes their main effects. It has been established that approximately 40 different plasma proteins classified as APPs have been studied to date. In veterinary medicine, the most important APPs used to diagnose various diseases associated with inflammation include C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein. Data on APP studies in cows with mammary gland inflammation are presented. Conclusion . The meta-analysis identified the most significant APPs that can serve as diagnostic markers for mastitis in cows. These include serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein.