Protein polymorphism of a human plasma apolipoprotein D antigenic epitope

Based on our previous observation that monoclonal antibody anti-apoD-4E11 reacted with several HDL proteins we studied them further with three questions in mind: i) is there common protein polymorphism in healthy individuals? ii) how many proteins are present and what are their characteristics? iii) are they all apolipoproteins and do they have the same lipoprotein distribution as apoD? Isolated, delipidated apoD was used as a standard for radioimmunometric assay of plasma with antibody 4E11. The antigen varied from 3 to 11 mumol-equivalents of apoD per liter of plasma (equivalent to 5-20 mg apoD/dl plasma) with means of 6.1 and 6.8 mumol/l in men and women, respectively. Two-dimensional electrophoresis of plasma found up to eight 4E11-antigenic-proteins of different Mr, each heterogeneous in pI. All plasmas tested contained apoD and an Mr 38,000 antigen, the latter being the most immunoreactive. Six proteins of Mr 70,000-94,000 were found, but the number varied between subjects. Eighty nine percent of the plasma antigen was associated with lipoproteins: 83% with HDL and VHDL, 5% with LDL and VLDL. Lipoproteins of all sizes, separated by polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis, contained the antigen. ApoD was almost the only 4E11-antigen in LDL, and was in two states: the one free, the other an apoD-apoB mixed disulfide complex. The apparent proportions of higher Mr antigens increased with increasing lipoprotein density, and the proportion of apoD decreased reciprocally. None of these 4E11-antigenic-proteins cross-reacted with antiserum to retinol-binding protein.