title: The diagnosis of CSF fistulae on the basis of detection of beta 2-transferrin by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting.
abstract: A sensitive method is described for the detection of beta 2-transferrin, a transferrin-variant found only in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The determination of beta 2-transferrin, whose presence is characteristic of CSF-admixtures in secretions, is performed in three steps. The proteins of the secretion are separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and then transferred electrophoretically onto a nitrocellulose sheet. Finally, the transferrins on the nitrocellulose sheet are specifically detected by an antibody reaction. The bands are visualized either by using antibodies conjugated with peroxidase or by protein A gold. With the exception of certain cases (Ritchie, R. F. & Smith, R. (1976) Clin. Chem. 22, 497-499; Görg, A. et al. (1983) Human Genetics 64, 222-226) beta 2-transferrin is found only in cerebrospinal fluid, and not in other body fluids. Therefore the detection of beta 2-transferrin can be used for the diagnosis of rhino- and otoliquorrhea. The advantage of this method is that beta 2-transferrin can be unequivocally identified by the use of a relatively small amount of technical equipment. CSF can therefore be clearly identified in secretions. An additional advantage of the method is its high sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenkranke des Klinikums Grosshadern, Universität München.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Reisinger
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hochstrasser
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid; D002558:Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis; D002559:Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005402:Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D014168:Transferrin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D014168:Transferrin