Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of serum specimens from a normal population

We examined sera from a normal population by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, to establish the normal pattern of serum proteins and to investigate genetic polymorphisms. With such information in hand, specimens from patients with certain diseases may be readily evaluated. Towards this goal, we optimized the ISO-DALT system (Proc. Natl, Acad, Sci, USA 74: 5421--5425, 1977) for routine phenotyping of alpha 1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin, GC-globulin, alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein, and transferrin, as well as a previously unknown polymorphic protein. We examined the effects of aging the specimens for 2 h at room temperature (no changes) or at -20 degrees C for several months (small changes), as well as serum/plasma differences and the effect of protease inhibitors. Silver-stain methods were modified to allow simultaneous staining of 10 gels, with reasonably good reproducibility of stain intensity. We quantitated silver-stained gels by densitometry of photographic transparencies. Very small samples suffice with this stain (0.5 microL of serum or plasma), allowing the use of "finger-stick" methods instead of venipuncture, yet the patterns are better resolved and easier to read than those for 10-microL specimens processed on gels stained with Coomassie Blue. Our techniques for rapidly removing albumin and IgG allow the investigator to examine areas on the gel that ordinarily are obscured. The region of haptoglobin has been examined by using serum from an ahaptoglobinemic donor. Finally, we present an expanded "normal" map illustrating the composite protein pattern.