Which acute-phase reactant helps prevent formation of peroxides and free radicals that may damage tissues?

Which acute-phase reactant helps prevent formation of peroxides and free radicals that may damage tissues?

• A. Fibrinogen
• B. Ceruloplasmin
• C. Serum amyloid A
• D. Haptoglobin

Answer: (D)

When the body mounts an inflammatory response, acute-phase reactants help limit tissue damage, including protection against oxidative injury. Haptoglobin’s main job is to bind free hemoglobin released during hemolysis. The free hemoglobin’s heme iron can catalyze the formation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxides that damage tissues, so trapping Hb with haptoglobin prevents these harmful reactions and helps clear the complex safely. This direct antioxidant role aligns with the question about preventing peroxides and free radicals in tissues. Other choices fit different parts of inflammation—fibrinogen helps with clotting, serum amyloid A marks inflammatory activity, and ceruloplasmin has ferroxidase activity affecting iron metabolism—but they don’t counteract free-radical damage as specifically as haptoglobin does by sequestering free hemoglobin.

When the body mounts an inflammatory response, acute-phase reactants help limit tissue damage, including protection against oxidative injury. Haptoglobin’s main job is to bind free hemoglobin released during hemolysis. The free hemoglobin’s heme iron can catalyze the formation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxides that damage tissues, so trapping Hb with haptoglobin prevents these harmful reactions and helps clear the complex safely. This direct antioxidant role aligns with the question about preventing peroxides and free radicals in tissues. Other choices fit different parts of inflammation—fibrinogen helps with clotting, serum amyloid A marks inflammatory activity, and ceruloplasmin has ferroxidase activity affecting iron metabolism—but they don’t counteract free-radical damage as specifically as haptoglobin does by sequestering free hemoglobin.