Constant serum levels of secreted asialoglycoprotein receptor sH2a and decrease with cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the existence and levels of sH2a, a soluble secreted form of the asialoglycoprotein receptor in human serum.


METHODS
Production of recombinant sH2a and development of a monoclonal antibody and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This assay was used to determine the presence and concentration of sH2a in human sera of individuals of both sexes and a wide range of ages.


RESULTS
The recombinant protein was produced successfully and a specific ELISA assay was developed. The levels of sH2a in sera from 62 healthy individuals varied minimally (147 ± 19 ng/mL). In contrast, 5 hepatitis C patients with cirrhosis showed much decreased sH2a levels (50 ± 9 ng/mL).


CONCLUSIONS
Constant sH2a levels suggest constitutive secretion from hepatocytes in healthy individuals. This constant level and the decrease with cirrhosis suggest a diagnostic potential.
Department of Cell Research and Immunology, George Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
Ron
R
Benyair
Maria
M
Kondratyev
Elena
E
Veselkin
Sandra
S
Tolchinsky
Marina
M
Shenkman
Yoav
Y
Lurie
Gerardo Z
GZ
Lederkremer
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood*; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins