Blood Plasma Protein Regeneration as Influenced by Infection, Digestive Disturbances, Thyroid, and Food Proteins

Abstract

Our belief that plasma proteins participate actively in the complex internal protein metabolism of the body should be adequate reason for our continued interest in blood plasma protein regeneration. It appears that the plasma can contribute protein readily to body tissues or body stores, but only in small amounts and with difficulty can the body contribute protein to the blood plasma--for example in fasting. Theterm "dynamic equilibrium" has been used to express the ebb and flow between plasma, organ, and tissue proteins. When reserve stores are exhausted the blood plasma production depends almost wholly upon food factors coming into the body from the intestine (16, 13, 9).Reserve stores under ordinary conditions are adequate to tide the body over any emergency call for new formed plasma proteins. A study of the reserve stores is in progress and it is probable that the stores of materials from which plasma proteins can be fabricated are distinct from the stores of hemoglobin building material.Infection can inhibit the formation of hemoglobin in anemia (17) and in like fashion it can inhibit the formation of plasma protein (Tables 3 and 3-a and Chart A below) during plasmapheresis. The mechanism of this interesting reaction is discussed below.

Experiences With Renal Homotransplantation in the Human: Report of Nine Cases 1

“…In the nephrotic syndrome the hypoproteinemia is characterized by very low levels of gamma globulin, in spite of the reversed A/G ratio (85,86,125). There is some evidence that under these circumstances antibody formation and resistance to infection is decreased (16,17,42,67,87,91), although this has been disputed by others (6,8,100). The lack of agreement is dependent partly on the variable degree of hypoproteinemia present in the animals or patients under study, on the type of antigen used to elicit the immune response, and on the means by which the plasma proteins were lowered.…”

Newer concepts of nutrition by the intravenous route

“…The manifestations of hypoproteinism are varied and most of them are undesirable in the surgical patient. Hypoproteinism may lead to any of the following: (a) diminished tolerance to blood loss with increased susceptibility to shock (b) lowered antibody production and lowered resistance to infection with impaired wound healing and tendency toward postoperative wound dehiscence, (c) delayed healing of fractures, liver dysfunction and fatty infiltration of the liver, (d) diminution of the plasma volume with an increase in interstitial fluid leading to generalized tissue edema which may effect gastro-intestinal anastomosis with delayed emptying, (e) weakness, lassitude, mental depression, and a diminution in the metabolic rate.0; 13,21 The nutritional requirements for the surgical patient are determined by: (a) the previous nutritional state of the patient, (b) the nature and severity of the pathologic abnormality, (c) the amount and character of the nutrient which is being lost from the body, and (d) the anticipated duration of the injury or disease. Approximately 1 Gm.…”