Human albumin variants. Nomenclature of allotypes observed in Europe and quantitative estimation of their relative mobilities

Abstract

In order to clarify the actual nomenclature of the albumin allotypes in French and Italian populations we compared the samples collected in our laboratory to those kindly supplied by Dr. Porta (Italy) with reference to albumin variants classified in starch gel electrophoresis using three buffer systems by Weitkamp. The inherited human albumin variants can be classified on the basis of their relative mobilities on cellulose acetate electrophoresis compatively to human transferrin mobility. The relative mobility of each variant can be expressed by the following ratio: migration distance of the variant versus migration distance of the normal albumin where zero represents the transferrin mobility. Using three buffers system at pH 8.6, 5.0 and 6.9, it is possible to distinguish some albumin variants having a same mobility at alkaline pH and different mobilities at acidic pH. In the european area, eleven albumin variants are distinguishable on the basis of their relative mobilities at different pH: four Fast moving variants: Gent, Vanves (a new variant described here), Reading and CN/BL, and seven Slow moving variants: MI/MI Slow, GE/CT, SO/BS (or D type), Pollibauer, Gainesville, Roma and B type. Thirty-six sera from unrelated subjects with genetic bisalbuminemia were analyzed in our laboratory. Their distribution was as follows: B type (22), Pollibauer (9), SO/BS (2), Gainesville (1), Gent (1) and Vanves type (1). The frequency of bisalbuminemia was 0.35 per 1,000 in a population of 19,949 blood donors.