Isoelectric focusing (IEF) and immunofixation for determination of disialotransferrin

Objectives: A new simplified method for detection and quantitation of disialontransferrin in serum is described. Design and Methods: The method is based on polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing, direct immunofixation with a specific antibody, and measurement by computerized scanning densitometry. Disialotransferrin levels were determined in 24 teetotallers and 34 alcoholics at 3 moments during detoxification. Three groups of drinkers were arranged: group 1 (without), group 2 (with light), and group 3 (with severe hepatitis). Results: The metho showed very good reproducibility and accuracy with a coefficient of variation between 5 to 8%. Alcoholic patients could be clearly separated from teetotallers, with a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 94%. After 12 days of alcohol withdrawal, disialotransferrin values declined in alcoholics but remained slightly high. They were not influenced by the severity of liver disease. No significant difference was found between the 3 groups. Conclusions: An easy-to-perform, sensitive, and inexpensive method has been developed to quantify disialotransferrin that can be used by laboratories almost everywhere.