Table of Contents

1 Interleukin-1 in the Acute Phase Response.- The Acute Phase Response.- Structure of IL-1.- Synthesis and Regulation of IL-1.- IL-1 Receptor.- Pleotropic Actions of IL-1.- IL-1 and Acute Phase Reactions.- Fever.- Leukocytosis.- Acute Phase Proteins.- IL-1 and Other Cytokines.- Synergy of Action.- Induction of Other Cytokines by IL-1.- IL-1 and Corticosteroid.- In Vivo Action of IL-1.- Summary.- 2 Regulation of Human SAA Gene Expression by Cytokines.- In Vitro Expression of Human SAA.- Cis-acting Sequences Responsible for PMA Induction of SAA.- Cytokine Control of SAA Expression.- 3 Transcriptional Regulation of Acute Phase Response Genes with Emphasis on the Human C-reactive Protein Gene.- The Physiological Role of the Acute Phase Response.- Systems for the Study of the Acute Phase Response.- Monokines Responsible for the Modulation of Liver-specific Gene Expression.- Transcriptional Regulation — the Mechanism.- Liver-specific Promoters and Enhancers.- Promoters Induced During the Acute Phase.- Conclusions and Perspectives.- 4 Organization, Structure and Expression of Pentraxin Genes.- The Structure of Pentraxin Proteins.- The Structure of Pentraxin Genes.- Heat Shock Elements.- The Purine-Pyrimidine Repeat Region and Oligo-A Stretch in the CRP Intron.- The 3? Untranslated Region.- Elements Responding to Cytokines.- Genetics.- 5 ApoSSA: Structure, Tissue Expression and Possible Functions.- Background.- SAA is an Apolipoprotein.- Where are SAAs Made and Where do They go?.- Patterns of Cell and Tissue Expression of SAA mRNAs in Mice.- Rats Have SAA-related Genes.- Summary.- 6 Regulation of Biosynthesis and Secretion of Human C-reactive Protein and Serum Amyloid A.- Regulation of Biosynthesis.- Role of Cytokines.- Role of Cofactors: Signal Transduction.- Heterogeneity in the Acute Phase Response.- Regulation of CRP Secretion.- Dynamics of CRP Secretion by Rabbit.- Hepaytes.- Subcellular Localization of the Intracellular Pool of CRP.- CRP is Specifically Retained Within the Endoplasmic Reticulum.- Conclusions.- 7 Molecular Regulation of the Acute Phase Complement Proteins.- Factor B.- The Second Component, C2.- Constitutive Expression of Factor B and C2.- Regulated Gene Expression.- Interleukin-1 and Interferon-α Tumor Necrosis Factor and Interleukin-6.- Summary.- 8 Biosynthesis of Acute Phase Proteins by the Liver Cells.- Role of Hepaytes in the In Vivo Biosynthesis of APR.- Expression of APR in the Normal Unstimulated Liver.- Expression of APR During the AIR.- Role of Sinusoidal Cells in the In Vivo Biosynthesis of APR.- Summary.- 9 The Plasma Serine Protease Inhibitors (Serpins): Structural Modifications in Inflammation.- The Serpins.- Structure of the Serpins.- Synthesis of Serpins in Inflammation.- Antitrypsin.- Antitrypsin Deficiency.- The Reactive Centre.- Mechanism of Protease Inhibition.- Specificity of Inhibition.- Reactive Centre Oxidation of Antitrypsin.- The SR Conformational Change.- Physiological Significance of the SR Change.- Pathological Significance of the SR Change.- Evolutionary Loss of the SR Change.- Other Structural Modifications in Inflammation.- N-terminal Cleavage: Angiotensinogen.- Modification of Carbohydrate.- Conclusions.- 10 The Three Dimensional Structure of SAP.- 11 Structure, Metabolism and Function of Acute Phase High Density Lipoprotein.- Apo-SAA in Plasma.- Structure of Apo-SAA.- Structure of Acute Phase HDL.- Metabolic Function of Normal HDL.- Synthesis of Apo-SAA.- Plasma Clearance of Apo-SAA.- Cellular Association and Degradation of Apo-SAA.- Functions of Apo-SAA.- Concluding Remarks.- 12 Clinical Measurement of Acute Phase Proteins to Detect and Monitor Infectious Diseases.- Microbial Growth and AP Protein Response.- General Pattern of AP Protein Response in Infection.- Monitoring Disease Activity Using AP Protein Response.- AP Protein Response in Viral Infection.- Immunomodulation and AP Protein Response.- 13 C-reactive Protein: Clinical Aspects.- The Acute Phase Proteins.- The Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate as an Indirect Indicator for the Acute Phase Reaction.- C-reactive Protein as a Direct Indicator of the Acute Phase Reaction.- Assays for CRP.- CRP Levels in Different Diseases.- Functions of CRP.- Conclusion.- 14 Pathogenesis of AA Amyloidosis.- Definition and Classification of Amyloidosis.- Serum and Tissue Amyloid A Proteins.- Structure of SAA and AA.- Induction and Production of the Acute Phase.- Protein SAA.- Apo SAA and “Apo AA”.- Displacement of SAA from HDL-SAA Complexes by Apo AI and Apo AII.- Formation and Deposition of AA Amyloid.- Incomplete Degradation of SAA.- Amyloid Enhancing Factor and Glycosaminoglycans.- Protein AP: The Amyloid “P Component”.- Summary of Some Current Hypotheses Regarding AA Amyloid Formation.- 15 Serum Amyloid P Component: A Specific Molecular Targeting Vehicle in Amyloidosis.- Serum Amyloid P Component.- Ligand Binding by SAP/AP.- Binding of SAP to Chromatin.- SAP and Amyloidosis.- Tissue Amyloid P Component.- SAP as a Targeting Vehicle in Amyloidosis.- Scintigraphic Imaging of Amyloid Deposits In Vivo.- Radiolabelled-SAP Studies in Experimental Murine Amyloidosis.- Mouse Imaging Studies Using 123I-Human SAP.- Mouse Imaging Studies Using 123I-Mouse SAP.- Localization of 125I-Pentraxins in AEF-Induced Amyloid.- 125I-SAP Localization as a Method of Quantitating Murine Amyloid Deposits.- Radiolabeled SAP Studies in Man.- Preparation of 123I-Human SAP for Clinical Studies.- Imaging of Human Amyloid Deposits.- Human SAP Turnover Studies.- Conclusions.