title: Sera of IgA nephropathy patients contain a heterogeneous population of relatively cationic alpha-heavy chains.
abstract: Sera of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients and normal subjects were analysed by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis. Densitometric analysis of the 2-D gels of IgAN patients and normal subjects revealed that their protein maps were comparable. There was no shift of pI values in the major alpha-heavy chain spots. However, the volume of the alpha-heavy chain bands were differently distributed. Distribution was significantly lower at the anionic region in IgAN patients (mean anionic:cationic ratio of 1.184 +/- 0.311) as compared to normal healthy controls (mean anionic:cationic ratio of 2.139 +/- 0.538). Our data are in support of the previously reported findings that IgA1 of IgAN patients were lacking in sialic acid residues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Shuib
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: O H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Hashim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002412:Cations; D003720:Densitometry / Q000379:methods; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000097:blood*; D007137:Immunoglobulin alpha-Chains / Q000097:blood*; D037102:Lectins; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007137:Immunoglobulin alpha-Chains; D037102:Lectins