Studies on rat cytokines as mediators of the acute phase response.

A cytokine preparation from rat peritoneal exudate cells was studied. The preparation was pronase sensitive and heat labile, but was insensitive to trypsin treatment. Administration to rats resulted in elevated serum levels of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, sialyltransferase activities and cortisol, but depressed serum albumin levels; in addition, hepatic sialyltransferase activities were increased and hepatic beta-galactosidase and beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase activities were depressed.