[Effect of interleukin-1beta and interleukin-4 on serum albumin parameters in rats with various behavioural...

We studied the effects of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta and antiinflammatory cytokine interleukin-4 on serum albumin parameters in rats with various behavioural characteristics in the open-field test. Under control conditions, the total concentration of serum albumin in active animals was higher than in passive those. However, the ratio of the effective-to-total concentration of albumin (i.e., binding capacity of this protein) was greater in passive rats. Administration of interleukins was accompanied by a decrease in the total content and effective concentration of albumin in passive and, particularly, in active rats. The initial intergroup differences in the ratio of the effective-to-total concentration of albumin were not found after injection of immunomodulating agents. It was mainly related to a more significant increase in this parameter in active animals. An increase in the binding capacity of albumin after cytokine treatment could be associated with conformational changes in the protein molecule. We believe that interleukin-1b and interleukin-4 exert similar effects on the properties of binding sites of serum albumin in rats with various behavioural characteristics.