title: Transferrin allelic variants may cause false positives in the detection of cerebrospinal fluid fistulae.
abstract: Variations in either the polypeptide sequence or the carbohydrate moieties of transferrin may result in altered electrophoretic mobility of this molecule. We report a case of an allelic (polypeptide) variant of transferrin with mobility similar to that of the beta 2 (sialic acid-depleted) transferrin found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and a few other body fluids. Allelic variation and other transferrin anomalies may be mistaken for the CSF isoform, resulting in false diagnoses of CSF fistulae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15213-2538.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sloman
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008875:Middle Aged; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D014168:Transferrin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; D012794:Sialic Acids; D014168:Transferrin; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid