Transferrin sialic acid contents of patients with hereditary hemochromatosis.
Recent evidence suggests that asialotransferrin may enhance hepatic uptake of trivalent metal ions through the asialoglycoprotein-receptor pathway. In hereditary hemochromatosis, there is preferential uptake of iron by hepatocytes. We purified transferrin from two patients with this disease. Their transferrins had normal electrophoretic patterns and contained normal amounts of sialic acid. We conclude that the preferential uptake of iron by hepatocytes in hereditary hemochromatosis is not due to the presence of asialotransferrin in their plasma.
D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D014168:Transferrin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis
D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D014168:Transferrin; C017031:asialotransferrins