Prothrombin evaluation as obtained by kinetics studies of antigen-antibody reaction in a laser nephelometer

Laser nephelometry is a technique which allows the evaluation of the concentration of several serum proteins and clotting factors. By means of this technique it is also possible to study the kinetics of the reaction between antigen and antibody. We studied the kinetics of the reaction between prothrombin and an antiprothrombin antiserum using several prothrombins namely: Prothrombin Padua, prothrombin Molise, which are two congenital dysprothrombinemias, cirrhotic, coumarin or normal prothrombins. Different behaviors in the kinetics of the reactions were shown even when the concentration of prothrombins was about the same in all plasma tested. These differences were analyzed by means of a computer (Apple II 48 RAM) programmed to solve four unknown equations (Rodbard's equation). From the data so obtained one can see that when voltages at the beginning and at the end of the reaction are in all cases about the same, a clear difference in the time required to reach half the maximum value of the voltage can still be demonstrated. This parameter, which is expressed in minutes, is longer in coumarin and prothrombin Molise than in controls. On the contrary it is shorter in prothrombin Padua and has about the same value of controls in the cirrhotic patient. Moreover the time at which the maximum rate is obtained is longer in coumarin and prothrombin Molise than in controls and shorter in liver cirrhosis and prothrombin Padua. In conclusion data obtained show that coumarin prothrombin behaves in a different way from cirrhotic prothrombin and also that there is a different behaviour between the two congenital dysprothrombinemias.