ABSTRACT
In addition to antigen-specific defences, non-specific defence mechanisms play a major role in the protection of the host's integrity, particularly against microbial pathogens. A number of non-specific mechanisms, either humoral or cellular, have been suggested or demonstrated to be involved. Among humoral mechanisms, serum enzymes and proteins, such as C-reactive protein, lyzosyme, caeruloplasmin, alpha-2-macroglobulin, and alpha1-antitrypsin, have been subject to extensive investigation in the past, but their predictive value has never been carefully assessed and they are no longer recommended or included in routine non-clinical immunotoxicity evaluation.
