Lymphatic system transports creatine phosphokinase into blood circulation in febrile animals

Abstract

In rabbits, febrile response of various duration produces a drastic increase (in comparison with blood) in the level of creatine phosphokinase in the lymph transported from various regions of the body. Fever-released creatine phosphokinase is resorbed by the lymphatic capillaries and enter the blood circulation.Key Words: fever; lymph; lymphatic system; creatine phosphokinase Lymphatic system is the drainage apparatus for connective tissue intercellular spaces. Being large molecular aggregates, enzymes after their release can enter blood circulation only after resorption by lymphatic capillaries. This agrees with the notion that enzyme content in the lymph more precisely reflects changes in cell membrane permeability, the extent and severity of cell damage than enzyme level in the blood [5]. Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) is a key enzyme of the energy supply system for various physiological processes (muscle contraction, nonmuscular forms of motility, transmembrane ionic transport, neurotransmitter synthesis, phagocytosis, etc.). Guanidine substrates of the CPK-controlled reaction creatine and creatine phosphate participate in the regulation of a number of metabolic transformations: glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, cell respiration, oxidative phosphorylation, and protein synthesis [1,3]. At the same time, the mechanisms of positive effect of febrile response (FR) include intensification of energy exchange improving the non-specific organism's resistance [12].In the present study we compared the content of CPK in the lymph and blood effluent from different body regions during febrile response of varying duration.