title: Semi-automatic method for determination of different isoforms of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin.
abstract: Carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) has been reported to be one of the best biochemical markers of alcohol abuse. However, a need still exists for a simple and practical method for widespread laboratory use. A semi-automatic (SA) isoelectric focusing (IEF) assay for CDT (SA-IEF-CDT) by a Phast System is introduced here. Different isoforms of transferrin were separated by IEF on polyacrylamide gels (pI 4.0-6.5) and located by immunofixation with an anti-transferrin serum. The precipitation bands were stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue and quantitated densitometrically. The present method gave a picture of the relative amounts of 10 different transferrin isoforms. The percentage of CDT with pI > or = 5.7 (representing di-, mono- and asialotransferrin) was calculated. For comparisons transferrin bands with pI > or = 5.6 (tri-, di-, mono-, and asialotransferrin), pI > or = 5.8 (mono- and asialotransferrin) and pI > or = 5.9 (asialotransferrin) as well as GGT, ASAT and ALAT were calculated. The method showed good linearity and it identified different isoforms in concentrations of < 10 mg/l of transferrin. The correlation of the present method with a commercially available method employing anion exchange followed by double antibody RIA (AE-RIA-CDT) was good (n = 38, r = 0.924). In 19/20 (95%) of healthy controls, the CDT value was below 4.4% (mean + 2 S.D.) of total transferrin, while higher values were observed in all 20 (100%) alcoholics. In conclusion, the developed semi-automatic method is a practical and reliable alternative for determination of different transferrin isoforms.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Center, Alko Ltd, Department of Clinical Chemistry.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Löf
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koivula
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seppä
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukunaga
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sillanaukee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis; D001322:Autoanalysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014168:Transferrin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014168:Transferrin; C056759:carbohydrate-deficient transferrin