Abstract
Summary
Serum haptoglobin was studied in guinea pigs and rabbits in normal animals and after experimental production of connective tissue damage such as in acute scurvy, carrageenan granuloma, turpentine-induced amyloidosis, and intravenous injection of different enzymes (papain, elastase, hyaluronidase, trypsin, chymotrypsin); controls received intravenous ovalbumin and saline. Significant increase of serum haptoglobin was found in acute scurvy (average 8 times normal), carrageenan granuloma (4 times normal) or both combined (5 times normal), and after intravenous injection of papain. elastase and of hyaluronidase (average of 2 to 2.5 times normal). Particularly striking results were obtained with papain and elastase which in some cases produced an increase in haptoglobin up to 7 times the starting value. These methods may be used to obtain reproducible experimental hyperhaptoglobinemia.
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