Measurement of serum alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and alpha 1-antitrypsin desialylation in liver disease.
To determine whether the presence of circulating desialylated glycoproteins reflect the existence and/or the severity of liver disease, 73 patients were evaluated with liver biopsies, conventional liver function tests, and the measurement of the degree of desialylation of two glycoproteins alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (alpha 1-AGP) and alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT). A combination of two immunological methods, available as routine laboratory tests, was used for the determination of the desialylation of alpha 1-AGP and alpha 1-AT. The severity of liver disease was assessed by a clinical classification depending upon the presence or absence of four complications (jaundice, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and weight loss). The presence of serum desialylated alpha 1-AGP did not allow detection of mild liver disease, but asialo alpha 1-AGP (and to a lesser extent of asialo-alpha 1-(AT) correlated with the severity of liver disease. The sensitivity of desialylated alpha 1-AGP in detection of severe liver disease was 65%, and its specificity was 80%.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000032:analysis*; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000032:analysis*
D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D009961:Orosomucoid; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin