The Use of Acute Phase Proteins as Biomarkers of Diseases in Cattle and Swine.

The two volumes of Acute Phase Proteins book consist of chapters that give a large panel of fundamental and applied knowledge on one of the major elements of the inflammatory process during the acute phase response, i.e., the acute phase proteins expression and functions that regulate homeostasis. We have organized this book in two volumes - the first volume, mainly containing chapters on structure, biology and functions of APP, the second volume discussing different uses of APP as diagnostic tools in human and veterinary medicine.

Acute Phase Proteins as Biomarkers in Animal Health and Welfare.

The magnitude and rapidity of the changes in the concentrations of APPs, together with their short half-life, suggest an important role for these proteins in the establishment of host defense. APPs are regarded as having general functions in trapping of micro-organisms and their products, in activating complement, in binding cellular remnants like nuclear fractions, in neutralizing enzymes, scavenging free radicals, and in modulating the hosts immune response. Despite vast pro- and anti-inflammatory properties ascribed to individual APPs, their function during health and disease remains incompletely defined.

Acute phase proteins are proteins synthesized by the liver in response to the acute phase response. While these proteins are insignificant in healthy animals, their concentrations increase rapidly during infection, inflammation, or tissue damage and are used as an indicator of inflammation. Since the blood concentrations and importance levels of these clinically important proteins differ according to the animal species, they are evaluated separately for each animal species. Most of the acute phase proteins have been studied in detail in the field of human medicine and are routinely used in the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases. In the field of veterinary medicine, it has not been used sufficiently. In this book chapter, we will provide up-to-date information about acute phase proteins that are important for cattle, as well as explain that acute phase proteins can be used in the early diagnosis of diseases, in the differentiation of viral and bacterial infections, in guiding the treatment of sick animals and in determining their prognosis.

Proteomics may be defined as the large-scale study of the proteome, i.e. a set of proteins being expressed in a certain fluid, tissue, organ or organism. Although still of limited and restricted use in most areas of farm animal and veterinary research, proteomics potential is unequivocal holding a significant promise in applications such as vaccine and drug development, animal product quality, physiology or toxicology. Nevertheless, proteomics use has been growing steadily during the last 2-3 years and, as time goes by; proteomics-based studies are more and more common, not just to scientists but to the general public, unravelling their full potential. This book reflects the will of a group of scientists that merge innovation with excellence of research and to whom the dissemination of knowledge and innovation through cooperation is a key essential point. It will be of interest to scientists at the early stages of their careers as well as to researchers well established in the field and to whom proteomics may be the necessary next step towards more in-depth research activities. By providing a collection of diverse scientific interests, Farm Animal Proteomics 2013 is also a witness to the vitality of the area and the importance it holds to animal and food research, to science, industry, government agencies, the consumer and ultimately the society as a whole.