A novel low-cost approach for the semi-quantitative analysis of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET).

Background And Aim: The increase of the carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) as results of an heavy intake of alcohol for at least two weeks, is a well-known biochemical modification since the middle '70s. Notwithstanding the first commercial kit for the diagnosis of chronic alcohol abuse based on this biomarker was commercially accessible already thirty years ago, only expensive analytical methods are currently available for its determination. The present paper shows a new approach intrinsically sensitive and specific, based on a specific derivatization of transferrin, and not requiring sophisticated instrumentation.

Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) vs. HPLC in the determination of asialo-Tf, a crucial marker for the reliable interpretation of questioned CDT increases.

Background And Aim: CDT is a collective biomarker including asialo- and disialo-Tf, but researchers have generally focused attention on disialo-Tf, because of its easier detectability, since asialo-Tf is typically not detectable by the current methods in abstinent individuals, social drinkers and in many alcohol abusers with moderate CDT increases. In the search of a confirmation marker of alcohol-related CDT increases, the detectability of asialo-Tf was re-evaluated comparatively by using CE vs. HPLC.

A new sample treatment for asialo-Tf determination with capillary electrophoresis: an added value to the analysis of CDT.

Background And Aim: The non-glycosylated glycoform of transferrin (Tf), known as asialo-Tf, was not selected (in favor of disialo-Tf) as the measurand for the standardization of carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) determination because of a lower diagnostic sensitivity provided with the currently available analytical procedures for sera. However, asialo-Tf could provide an additional value to disialo-Tf in the CDT analysis employed in forensic toxicology contexts. The present work aimed at developing an easy sample preparation based on PEG precipitation in order to improve the detectability of asialo-Tf in capillary electrophoresis (CE).