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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

A Rapid and Chemical-free Hemoglobin Assay with Photothermal Angular Light Scattering
Published on: December 7, 2016
Identification of plasma haptoglobin forms which loosely bind hemoglobin
Maria Stefania Spagnuolo1, Luisa Cigliano, Bernardetta Maresca
1Istituto per il Sistema Produzione Animale in Ambiente Mediterraneo, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, Italy.
Haptoglobin (Hpt) is known to capture circulating free hemoglobin (Hb) and bind apolipoprotein (Apo) A-I or E. Here, we report that Hb can be tightly bound by most of Hpt molecules (TB-Hpt, 80%), whereas loosely bound by a minor part of them (LB-Hpt, 20%). LB-Hpt amount was significantly increased (over 60%) in patients with acute coronary syndrome. LB-Hpt bound ApoA-I and ApoE less efficiently than TB-Hpt (8- and 4-fold less, respectively) and did not affect their activity of stimulating the enzyme lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase. LB-Hpt and TB-Hpt displayed comparable levels of nitrotyrosine residues, but differences in glycan chains. Changes in LB-Hpt level might be associated with changes in Hpt functions.
Haptoglobin (Hpt) is known to capture circulating free hemoglobin (Hb) and bind apolipoprotein (Apo) A-I or E. Here, we report that Hb can be tightly bound by most of Hpt molecules (TB-Hpt, 80%), whereas loosely bound by a minor part of them (LB-Hpt, 20%). LB-Hpt amount was significantly increased (over 60%) in patients with acute coronary syndrome. LB-Hpt bound ApoA-I and ApoE less efficiently than TB-Hpt (8- and 4-fold less, respectively) and did not affect their activity of stimulating the enzyme lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase. LB-Hpt and TB-Hpt displayed comparable levels of nitrotyrosine residues, but differences in glycan chains. Changes in LB-Hpt level might be associated with changes in Hpt functions.
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