Restraint induced stress elicits acute-phase response in rabbits.

We investigated whether a restraint induced stress elicits an acute-phase response which includes changes in the plasma trace metals, fibrinogen and the circulating leucocyte count. The present results showed that restraint-stress induces significant increases in the plasma concentrations of copper and fibrinogen and decreases in those of iron and zinc in rabbits, indicating that some of acute-phase response are produced without fever mediated by endogenous pyrogen.