A SIMPLE AND RAPID FLUOROMETRIC-DETERMINATION METHOD OF ALPHA(1)-ACIDGLYCOPROTEIN IN SERUM USING QUINALDINE RED

We examined different fluorescent probes suitable for fluorometric det ermination of alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP) in serum. Quinaldine re d (QR) was shown to bind strongly and selectively to AGP. Taking advan tage of the enhanced fluorescence of QR in the presence of AGP, we dev eloped a direct method for the determination of serum AGP without remo val of other serum proteins such as albumin. AGP concentrations in ser um of healthy volunteers and patients correlated well with results fro m the conventional single radial immunodiffusion (SRID) method (r = 0. 93, slope = 1). The newly developed method is faster and has a larger analytical concentration range than the SRID method. This method can a lso be used to determine AGP in serum of experimental animals, and it can serve to monitor AGP serum concentrations for pharmacokinetic eval uation of basic drugs.