Regulation of Acute Phase Gene Expression Following Surgery and Endotoxin Administration in the Anesthetized Pig

Background: hepatic acute phase response (APR) reflects an organism's integrated response to stress. This APR resultsin augmented synthesis and secretion of specific procoagulants and antiproteases and a complementary decrease in the synthesis and secretion of several constitutive proteins, such as albumin. The cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been identified as proximal mediators of the APR in response to endotoxin stress. The authors hypothesized that TNF, IL-6, or both would be the proximal mediators of the APR in response to anesthesia and surgical stress. Methods: The effects of a standardized surgical stress on the APR in pigs under general anesthesia with sodium pentobarbital and ketamine hydrochloride was investigated