title: Unique human glycoprotein, alpha1-microglycoprotein: isolation from the urine of a cancer patient and its characterization.
abstract: A human glycoprotein was isolated from the urine of a patient with plasma cell leukemia. It appears pure and homogeneous when examined by immunoelectrophoresis, sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDodSO4)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, gel filtration in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn.HCl), and NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis. It has a brown color due to a tightly (most likely covalently) bound chromophore group(s) and migrates to the alpha1 region in immunoelectrophoresis. A molecular weight (mol wt) of 27 000 was obtained for the glycoprotein by gel filtration in 6 M Gdn.HCl. Its approximate mol wt determined by Na-DodSO4-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is 29 000 on 5% and 7.5% and 10% gels. Amino acid and hexosamine analyses showed that it is a glycoprotein and indicated that it contains four half-cystine residues per molecule. Based on the above observations we designated it "alpha1-microglycoprotein" (alpha1-MGP). Isoelectric focusing of alpha1-MGP showed a significant charge heterogeneity, although only a single NH2-terminal amino acid sequence was obtained for alpha1-MGP, i.e., Gly-Pro-Val-Pro-( )-Pro-Pro-Asx-Asx-Ile-Glx-Val-Glx-Glx-Asx-Phe-Phe-Ile-(Ser or Ala)-Arg. The alpha1-MGP was found in significant concentrations in the urine of many patients with neoplastic diseases.
mesh_terms: D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000652:urine*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000652:urine*; D006595:Hexosamines / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007952:Leukemia, Plasma Cell / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D000596:Amino Acids; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006595:Hexosamines