[Clinical significance of determining the soluble transferrin receptor]

The aim of the study was to work out a method for determining the soluble transferrin receptor (TfR) on the basis of the direct immune-enzyme analysis, including its dynamic testing in patients with anemia of various etiologies. Reagents, needed for the above analysis, i.e. TfRs and antibodies to them, were obtained to implement the set goal. TfR was isolated by Kanevsky's affine chromatography from the homogenate of patients. The thus isolated TfR was used to immunize and to obtain the monoclonal antibodies. The conjugate of horseradish peroxidase (HP) and antibodies to TfR were made use of to determine the quantity of bound antibodies. One type of antibodies were immobilized in plates of the "Nunk" company (Denmark), and the other type of monoclonal antibodies were conjugated with HP. A reliably higher TfR in iron-deficiency anemia was shown during the determination of the TfR level in 36 donors and 266 patients. After a conducted ferrotherapy, the TfR level went down approaching the normal value. The TfR level was related with a disease stage and activity of the prolipherative process in cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia, B12-folate-dependent anemia, lympho- and myeloprolipherative diseases and in oncology patients. The elaborated method opens up new possibilities for the differential diagnosis of anemia and provide for objective criteria of a conducted therapy.