Vergleichende elektrophoretische und quantitative untersuchungen der serumglykoproteide

Abstract

1. 1. A description is given of a modified practicable routine method for the isolation of mucoproteins from serum and for their fractionation by paper electrophoresis at pH 8.6. In the case of mucoproteins from carcinoma-serum the third fraction is larger than in those from healthy serum. 2. 2. The albumin fraction gives a definite colour reaction, revealing the presence of a protein-bound polysaccharide, when treated with Schiffs's reagent. This fraction appears, for no apparent reason, as the “negative phase” in the diagram during photoelectric valuation of filterpaper streaks. 3. 3. In 35 healthy and pathologic sera the mucoprotein content as well as the protein-bound hexose content has been ascertained. In cases of cancer and tuberculosis of the lung the amount of these substances present seems to depend on the extent and the intensity of the processes. 4. 4. The same sera were subjected to electrophoresis and the relative protein and protein-bound polysaccharide content of the fractions was determined; owing to the appearance of the negative phase the carbohydrates of the albumin fraction were not considered. These results must therefore be regarded as provisional. The following general conclusions may be drawn: 4.1. (a) an increase of α 1-globulin fraction can generally be traced to an increase in mucoproteins; 4.2. (b) shifts in carbohydr atecontent of α 2-, β- and γ-globulin fraction are based on shifts in the neutral glycoprotein content; 4.3. (c) the da-globulin fraction, apart from plasmozytom, is the fraction richest in carbohydrate; 4.4. (d) reduction of the polysaccharides in the γ-globulin together with a marked increase of mucoproteins and protein-bound hexoses is generally a prognostically unfavourable sign.