Early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with lectin electrophoresis of serum alpha-fetoprotein.
A sensitive procedure involving lectin affinity electrophoresis of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was established. AFPs electrophoresed on lectin-containing gels were blotted on nitrocellulose membrane which was precoated with the specific antibody to AFP and stained with peroxidase-labeled anti-AFP antibody. This method could detect as little as 4 micrograms/l of purified AFP dissolved in buffer, or 50 micrograms/l in serum specimens. A number of patients with liver disease have been followed for long periods in Nihon University Hospital, Tokyo. Serum specimens were collected serially and stored frozen. We have reinvestigated retrospectively 6 series of serum specimens by the lectin-immunoblotting technique and found 3 cases that revealed a hepatocellular carcinoma-specific AFP variant at a very early stage, in advance of any other evidence of hepatocellular carcinoma by clinical examination.
Taga
H
H
Tumour Laboratory, Nihon University Surugadai Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Hirai
H
H
Ishizuka
H
H
Kaneda
H
H
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004586:Electrophoresis; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
D037102:Lectins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins