Isoelectric focusing (IEF) and immunofixation for determination of disialotransferrin.
OBJECTIVE
A new simplified method for detection and quantitation of disialontransferrin in serum is described.


METHODS
The method is based on polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing, direct immunofixation with a specific antibody, and measurement by computerized scanning densitometry. Disialotransferrin levels were determined in 24 teetotallers and 34 alcoholics at 3 moments during detoxification. Three groups of drinkers were arranged: group 1 (without), group 2 (with light), and group 3 (with severe hepatitis).


RESULTS
The metho showed very good reproducibility and accuracy with a coefficient of variation between 5 to 8%. Alcoholic patients could be clearly separated from teetotallers, with a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 94%. After 12 days of alcohol withdrawal, disialotransferrin values declined in alcoholics but remained slightly high. They were not influenced by the severity of liver disease. No significant difference was found between the 3 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
An easy-to-perform, sensitive, and inexpensive method has been developed to quantify disialotransferrin that can be used by laboratories almost everywhere.
Dumon
M F
MF
Laboratoire Central de Biochimie, Hôpital Saint-André, Bordeaux, France.
Nau
A
A
Hervouet
M
M
Paccalin
J
J
Clerc
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D003720:Densitometry; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014168:Transferrin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis
D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D014168:Transferrin; C017031:asialotransferrins