Plasma Glycoproteins in Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Abstract

The glycoproteins of plasma are a heterogeneous group of conjugated proteins consisting of polysaccharides in firm union with peptides or proteins.’ Increased interest has been shown in this group of proteins in the past few years due to the demonstration that their concentration is markedly increased in a number of pathologic and physiologic states.2 With respect to infectious diseases, the carbohydrate-containing proteins of serum have been studied most extensively in relation to tuberculosis. Marked increases in the total serum glycoprotein have been reported in clinical tuberculosis38 and in experimental tuberculosis of guinea pigs#{176} and of rabbits.1#{176} Elevated levels of the seromucoid (mucoprotein) fraction have been observed in clinical tuberculosis8 and in the experimental disease in guinea pigs.#{176} Recently, Method 10 developed by Cohn and associates” has been adapted by Lever and co-workers for the fractionation of 5 ml. amounts of human plasma into four primary fractions.12 It seemed possible that such a method might provide more information on the response of the carbohydrate-containing proteins to pulmonary tuberculosis than could be obtained from total plasma glycoprotein and seromucoid determinations. In the present investigation, 5 ml. of plasma samples from normal individuals and from patients with minimal, moderately advanced and far advanced tuberculosis have been separated by the low temperature-low salt-ethanol procedure of Lever1’ into four primary fractions, proteinbound carbohydrate (hexose) and protein have been measured in the fractions and the results have been correlated with total glycoprotein, seromucoid, and total protein determinations on whole plasma. Materials and Methods Plasma: Seventeen ml. of blood were obtained by venipuncture. The blood was immediately added to 3 ml. of A.C.D. solution.12 Following sep-. aration by centrifugation from the blood cells, the A.C.D. plasma was stored at minus 20#{176} C. until the fractionations and the chemical determinations could be conducted.