PURIFICATION METHOD FOR ALPHA-1-ACID GLYCOPROTEIN WITH SUBSEQUENT HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF MONOSACCHARIDES IN PLASMA OF HEALTHY-SUBJECTS AND PATIENTS WITH RENAL-INSUFFICIENCY

A simple purification method for human plasma alpha-1-acid glycoprotei n (AAG) using an ion-exchange and hydroxyapatite column was developed. The recovery of the method was found to be high. We also improved a d etermination method for N-acetylneuraminic acid and monosaccharides in the carbohydrate moiety of AAG by using an ion-exchange column and pu lse-amperometric detection. By this method, a composition analysis of the carbohydrate moiety of AAG (N-acetylneuraminic acid, fucose, N-ace tyl glucosamine, galactose and mannose) was possible with 1.0 ml of pl asma. We compared these carbohydrate concentrations in the AAG of pati ents with renal insufficiency with those of healthy subjects. In the A AG of the patients, the concentrations of N-acetylglucosamine, galacto se and mannose were significantly higher than those in the AAG of the healthy subjects.