Studies on Hog Intrinsic Factor

Abstract

One gram of raw hog intrinsic factor (IF) was administered to each of ten control subjects with no hematological disorders, three pernicious anemia patients, and three total gastrectomy subjects. A B12-binding substance originating from raw hog IF was detected in the sera and urines of seven control subjects, after the oral administration of hog IF, and the serum level of the binding substance was assumed to be 5.0μg/ml or slightly more in the detected cases. In the remaining three control subjects and all cases with pernicious anemia or with total gastrectomy, the substance was not found in their sera and urines either before or after the oral administration of raw hog IF. Based on the finding that the detected substance was immunologically identified with the purified hog IF, it was concluded that “immunoreactive hog IF” or rather hog IF or its split fragment was absorbed from human intestine. The significance of the negative demonstration of immunoreactive hog IF in pernicious anemia and in total gastrectomy was also discussed.