APPEARANCE, PROPERTIES, AND ORIGIN OF ALTERED HUMAN HEMOGLOBIN IN FECES

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  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 35  (2) , 111-115
Abstract
Altered Hb was found in the feces as a sequel to an upper gastrointestinal bleed. Active Hb antigen of increased anodic mobility was detected on immunoelectrophoresis of melena stools using a goat anti-Hb. The Hb derivative was also identified in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using 412 nm absorbance. The alteration could be simulated in vitro by incubation of hemolysate with duodenal juice, purified carboxypeptidase B alone or by a mixture of carboxypeptidases A and B. Treatment of hemolysate or purified Hb with acid, gastric juice, pepsin, pancreatic juice, bile, trypsin, or chymotrypsin failed to produce the characteristic alteration. Instead, no change, or production of .alpha. and .beta. chains, or gradual but complete elimination of the Hb antigen was seen. This latter all or none pattern is presumed to prevail in the large bowel on the basis of incubations of Hb-feces mixtures. Individuals documented to be bleeding into the colon had at least a portion of their Hb antigen in the unaltered form by immunoelectrophoresis. This finding may be of value in identifying the general origin of a gastrointestinal bleed.