Acute phase protein expression in different visceral and subcutaneous fat depots from clinically healthy dairy cows

Abstract

White adipose tissue (AT) has been considered for a long time as the store house of energy and this tissue is now recognized as an active endocrine organ that communicates with the brain and peripheral tissues by secreting a wide range of hormones and cytokines collectively termed adipokines; the adipokine family includes also several acute phase proteins (APP) (1). APP are part of the innate immunity and interplay in the restoration of homeostasis and the restraint of microbial growth before acquired immunity is active. Measurements of APP responses from physiological to pathological changes also help in monitoring and diagnosis of diseases in animals (2,3). Liver is considered as the principal organ of APP production, but extra hepatic production of alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), and lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) has also been reported (4–9). APP production from AT has been reported for humans and rodents. Recently, SAA mRNA expression (13) from bovine adipose tissue has been confirmed by our group. However, information of APP production from different fat depots is not available at the protein level according to our knowledge. Investigation of APP in fat depots in physiological condition will improve our understanding about the association of AT and APP.