The Polymorphic Forms of α1-Acid Glycoprotein of Normal Caucasian Individuals*

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Abstract
[alpha]1-Acid glycoprotein was isolated, by fractionation by a modified procedure of Conn''s method 10 and subsequent chromatography on Amber lite IRC-50 of the obtained Fraction VI, from serum of 53 normal Caucasian adults of the Boston area, 15 and 23 members of two additional Caucasian families, each representing three generations, and from 18 pairs of Caucasian twins, five of whom were demonstrated to be identical as judged by 13 different blood groups. The isolated glycoprotein preparations were analyzed by starch gel electrophoresis at pH 2.9. Four types of [alpha] 1-acid glycoprotein patterns were observed. They revealed 5, 6, 7 and 8 bands and occurred at a relative incidence of 4, 36, 49, and 11%, respectively. The polymorphism of [alpha] 1-acid glycoprotein is most probably genetically determined. The [alpha] 1 -acid glycoprotein patterns of 15 and 23 members, respectively, of two families and of nine pairs of identical twins are compatible with the concept of transmission of genetically determined polymorphic forms of this blood protein.