Biochemical analysis of serum proteins from Eales' patients

In the present study attempt has been made to identify the possible factor(s) which are responsible for Eales' disease. The serum of Eales' patients and that of age and sex matched healthy controls did not differ in their total protein concentration. Sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis did not reveal any difference between the two groups. However, analysis of the serum samples with isoelectric focusing showed the presence of two unique proteins with pI of 5.5 and 5.9 in Eales' patients. Further two dimensional SDS-PAGE analysis indicated the presence of a distinct protein spot with a pI of 5.9 and a molecular weight around 23 KD in the serum of Eales' patients. This 23 KD protein has been partially purified and found to be anionic in nature. Antisera to this partially purified protein have been raised and tested. The implication of this finding is discussed in relation to the aetiology of Eales' disease.