Further resolution of alpha-fetoprotein glycoforms by two-dimensional isoelectric focusing and lectin affinity electrophoresis.

Human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) from serum of patients with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was separated into several bands by IEF and by erythroagglutinating phytohemagglutinin (E-PHA) affinity electrophoresis. These AFP bands were directly compared in 2-D IEF and E-PHA affinity electrophoresis. IEF of serum AFP was run in 1% agarose IEF gel with 3% Pharmalyte 4.5-5.4. After IEF, a part of the gel was stained for AFP and another part of the gel corresponding to the area of separated AFP bands was cut in 1 mm x 39 mm along the focused direction and transferred to a trough in 1% agarose gel with 0.3 mg/mL E(4)-PHA for second-dimensional affinity electrophoresis. Separated 2-D AFP spots were visualized by antibody-affinity blotting and identified by combining the systems of Johnson et al.. (Johnson, P. J., Ho, S., Cheng, P., Chan, A. et al.., Cancer 1995, 75, 1663-1668) for AFP-I-+IV and of Taketa et al.. (Taketa, K., Ichikawa, E., Taga, H., Hirai, H., Electrophoresis 1985, 6, 492-497) for AFP-P1-5. AFP-P2, the major AFP glycoform, was composed of AFP-I, AFP+I, and AFP+II; AFP-P3, a nonspecific monosialo-AFP, was composed of AFP+II; AFP-P4, HCC-specific monosialo-AFP, was composed of AFP+II, AFP+III, and AFP+IV; and malignancy-related AFP-P5 was composed of AFP+I and AFP+II. Monosialo-AFP (AFP+II) was recovered in all the glycoforms of AFP-P2, -P3, -P4, and -P5; thus, AFP-P4 is more specific to HCC than monosialylated AFP+II.