Abundance of “positive” acute phase proteins, including angiotensinogen, ceruloplasmin, inter-α-trypsin inhibitor, heavy chain H4 (ITI heavy chain H4), lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), and α-1-antichymotrypsin 2, increased with increasing NEC severity, while “negative” acute phase proteins, including α-2-HS-glycoprotein, albumin, protein AMBP, carboxypeptidase-N-catalytic chain (CPN), ITI heavy chain H2, and transferrin, decreased. The gene discussed is ITIH4; the disease is necrotizing enterocolitis.