Changes in Serum Pritein and Compound Proteins in Anemia due to Bloodletting

Abstract

In an attempt to examine changes in hemoglobin, the erythrocyte count, the total protein and serum protein anemia was induced in rabbits by taking a large amount of blood once, a moderate amount of blood every other day and a small amount of blood every day by bloodletting. Serum protein was separated into fractions by means of paper electrophoresis.1. The intensity of anemia was in the following order: a great amount of blood>a moderate amount a small amount In the beginning of bloodletting anemia took place rapidly and then slowly. The decreasing rate of the total protein was lesser than that of anemia. When a small amount of blood was taken by bloodletting, the total protein showed an increase over the pre-operative value during bloodletting.2. Changes in the protein fractions occurred immediately after bloodletting. These changes became more marked 24 hours after bloodletting. There was a decrease in the albumin fraction even when any of the methods for bloodletting was used. The decrease in the albumin fraction constituted major changes in protein. The decreasing rate of the albumin fraction was not always proportional to the intensity of anemia. The return of the albumin fraction to normal levels required a long period of time.3. Any of the methods for bloodletting produced an increase in α1-globulin and α2-globulin. They made up for the initial decrease in the albumin fraction.4. During the recovery of anemia a striking increase in β-globulin was observed even when any of the methods was employed for bloodletting.5. γ-globulin showed an increase when a decrease in albumin lasted for a long time. It seemed as if the former increase compensated for the latter decrease, but γ-globulin rather decreased when anemia was small in intensity.