Mannose receptor determination by an ELISA-like method.

Mannose receptor determination may be a useful tool in research, because endocytosis via this animal lectin is involved in many functions of macrophage cells, in particular, the scavenger activity, the specific and unspecific defence against infective diseases, the recognition of neoplastic cells and the activation/differentiation process of the monocyte/macrophage and microglial population. To date, available tests required expensive equipment, the use of radioactive material or the availability of a specific antiserum. We describe an ELISA-like assay, based on biotinylated mannose-conjugated bovine serum albumin (BSA), which specifically binds to the cell mannose receptor.

Xanthine oxidoreductase activity in human liver disease.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the level and the form of xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) in severely diseased human livers, to ascertain whether the modifications of the enzyme activity reported in experimental pathology also occur in human liver disease.

Methods: Total, dehydrogenase, and oxidase activities of XOR were measured in samples of human liver removed for transplantation or partial hepatectomy. Samples included four groups: 1) histologically normal liver tissue, adjacent to metastases from extrahepatic tumors (controls), 2) liver with virus-related cirrhosis; 3) liver with virus-negative cirrhosis, and 4) hepatocellular carcinoma tissue (HCC).