STUDIES ON THE ELECTROPHORETIC SERUM GLYCOPROTEINS IN HUMAN LEPROSY AND EXPERIMENTAL MURINE LEPROSY

Abstract

The serum protein and glycoprotein fractions was studied by paper electrophoresis in 41 cases of leprosy (lepromatous type......25, tuberculoid type......16) and in white rats inoculated with the Hawaiian strain of murine leprosy (3-10 months after inoculation). The glycoprotein was quantitatively measured by the periodic acid-Schiff method and the protein by the bromphenol blue staining method. Photoelectro-colorimetric determinations were also performed.
In the lepromatous type, the albumin is reduced compared to the normal subject or the tuberculoid type. The γ-globulin is increased but there is no significant difference in the albumin-bound carbohydrate compared to the control. The γ-globulin-bound carbohydrate, on the other hand, is decreased. Furthermore, there is no rise in β-globulin even though the β-globulin-bound carbohydrate is increased.
There was little significant difference in the serum protein fractions in the tuberculoid type compared to the control but the α₂-globulin-bound carbohydrate was somewhat decreased and the γ-globulin-bound carbohydrate was slightly increased.
In the experimentally infected rat, the serum protein fractions differed little from the normal except for a decrease in albumin and there was little significant difference from the control from the standpoint of serum glycoprotein fractions.