TRANSFERRIN ALLELIC VARIANTS MAY CAUSE FALSE POSITIVES IN THE DETECTION OF CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID FISTULAS

Variations in either the polypeptide sequence or the carbohydrate moie ties of transferrin may result in altered electrophoretic mobility of this molecule. We report a case of an allelic (polypeptide) variant of transferrin with mobility similar to that of the beta2 (sialic acid-d epleted) transferrin found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and a few othe r body fluids. Allelic variation and other transferrin anomalies may b e mistaken for the CSF isoform, resulting in false diagnoses of CSF fi stulae.