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Estimation of serum Total proteins by Biuret
method , Albumin by BCG binding method and
Determination of A/G ratio.
DR. Sharda D. Sarwade
(Deshmukh )
Most of the proteins are synthesise by the liver ,these proteins are
present
In our blood .They are important for health.
Two of the key proteins are :
Albumin : Exert osmotic pressure , transport medicine and hormones
through out our body .
Helps in tissue growth and healing.
Globulins : This is a group of proteins (alpha1,alpha2,beta,and gama
gobulins) some of them synthesize in liver except gama globulins,
Which are synhesize by immune system.
Gobulins helps in transport nutrients and fight against infection.
The serum protein estimation measures all the proteins as well as
Amount of albumin and A/G RATIO
Why we need to measure ?
To diagnose a variety of diseases that affect protein level such as
•Liver ,kidney and blood disease .
•Check nutritional status
•Risk for an infection .
•Find the cause of symptoms like Edema or swelling due to excess tissue
Fluid .
•Difficulty urinating
•Nausea or vomiting
•Unexpected weight loss
•Loss of appetite
•Fatigue
1. Estimation of serum total proteins
by Biuret method
Principle-
When serum is treated with biuret reagent, the peptide bonds of
protein react with cupric ions in an alkaline medium to form a
violet coloured complex. The absorbance of this complex is
measured calorimetrically at 530nm. A standard protein solution
is also treated similarly and the colour intensities are compared.
Vacutainer used - Red
Procedure-
I. Dilution of serum
• 0.2ml serum + 3.8ml normal saline, Dilution factor 0.05
II. Colour Development
• Label 3 test tubes as “Blank”, “Standard” and “Unknown” and make
following additions
• Mix and keep at room temperature for 10min and read at 530nm
green filter.
Blank(B) Standard(S) Unknown(U)
Normal saline 1.0ml - ---------
Protein
Standard
(5mg/ml)
- 1.0ml -
Diluted Serum - - 1.0ml
Biuret reagent 5.0ml 5.0ml 5.0ml
 Observations
 Calculations: Serum total proteins(Gm/dl)
 O .D . of U - O.D OF B 100 1
 --------------------------- X conc .of std./ml X vol.of std .X ---------------- X --------
 O.D of S - O.D of B vol .of serum 1000
O.D
Blank
Standard
Unknown
Estimation of serum albumin by Bromocresol
green binding method
 Principle
 Sr.albumin is binds with BCG at PH 4.1 to form green
colour complex,compared with standard treated
similarly and OD is read on colorimeter using red
filter (620nm)
 Procedure : sr.dilution
 0.2ml serum +1.8ml normal saline and mix.
 Dilution factor is 0.02 ml
Colour development
BLANK STANDARD UNKNOWN
Normal saline 0.2ml
Albumin
std.5mg/ml
0.2ml
Diluted serum 0.2ml
BCG dye 5ml 5ml 5ml
Mix and keep at room temperature for 10minute and read O.D at
62onm(red filter)
Observation
O.D
BLANK
STANDARD
UNKNOWN
Calculations:
Serum albumin (Gm/dl ) =
O.D of U- O.D of B 100 1
------------------------- x conc.of std/mlxvol.of std X ------------------ X ---------
O.D of S -O.D of S vol.of serum 1000
U/S X 5
Total protein = Albumin +Globulin
Sr . Globulin =S r. Total Protein – Sr. Albumin
A/G RATIO =ALBUMIN/GLOBULIN
Normal range
Sr.Total protein : 6.3 – 7.9
Gm/dl
Sr.Albumin : 3.7 -
5.3Gm/dl
Sr.Globulin : 1.8-
3.6Gm/dl
A/G RATIO : 1.5 -2.5
Increase sr.Total protein (hyperproteinemia ) :Dehydration
(Hemoconcentration )
Inflammation from infections ,such as HIV or viral hepatitis
Cancer such as Multiple myeloma
Tuberculosis and Kala aazar
Decrease Sr.Total protein usually due to decrease in
Sr.Albumin .
•Water intoxication(Hemodilution ), Glomerulonephritis or
neprotic
syndrome(loss of Albumin in in urine),
•Liver cirrhosis (Impaired protein synthesis),Severe burns(loss of
protein from skin),
• Kwashiorkar (Dietary deficiency of protein),
•Malabsorption ,
•Prgnancy induced hypertension
Albumin-fatty acid complex cannot cross blood brain barrier
Bilirubin- aspirin interaction Drug interactions
Kernicterus mental retardation
Biological availability of drugs
Protein bound calcium Hypoalbuminemia Decreased calcium in blood
Clinical significance of albumin
Hypoalbuminemia--- decreased serum albumin ----malnutrition, nephrotic syndrome and
cirrhosis of liver.
Albumin is excreted into urine (albuminuria) --- nephrotic syndrome and in certain inflammatory
conditions of urinary tract.
Microalbuminuria (30-300 mg/day) is clinically important for predicting the future risk of renal
diseases . Albumin is therapeutically useful for the treatment of burns and hemorrhage.
Albumin is reduced – decreased in albumin level results in loss of
water from blood and its entry in to interstitial fluids causing edema .
A) Malnutrition; generalised edema ,synthesis is reduced
B) Nephrotic syndrome; facial edema; Loss of albumin in
urine.
C) Cirrhosis; Ascites; synthesis Albumin is synthesis
diminished .
2) Congestive Cardiac Failure
Dependent edema, feet, Increased hydrostatic P in vein
Normal Albumin level in blood:
3.5 - 5 g /dl
Hypoalbuminemia – sr.albumin level is lower than normal
Cirrhosis of liver, albumin synthesis is impaired .
Malnutrition--diet deficient in protein (kwashiorkor ).
Malabsorption syndrome--
Protein losing enteropathy – loss of albumin from intestinal tract.
Nephrotic syndrome– permeability of glomerular membrane is
defective .(loss of albumin in urine )
Analbuminemia --- rare condition ,defective gene ,defect in
synthesis.
Proteinuria– excretion of protein in urine or presence of protein /albumin in urine* .
Glomerular proteinuria
Micro albuminuria
Minimal albuminuria
Pauci (small in quantity ) albuminuria
Small quantities of albumin Less than 300 mg per day
Diabetes mellitus
Hypertension
Indicator of future renal failure
*Heat coagulation test is used for detection of presence of albumin in urine
Reversal of Albumin : Globulin
Reduction of albumin Compensatory increase in globulin fractions.
cirrhosis of liver and nephrotic syndrome .
REVERSED A/G RATIO :Glomerulo nephritis and Liver
cirrhosis
A low A/G ratio may be due to an overproduction of globulin,
underproduction of albumin or loss of albumin indicates the
following
An autoimmune disease
Cirrhosis. Involving inflammation and scarring of liver
Multiple myeloma
Nephrotic syndrome kidney disease
A high A/G ratio may suggest
An underproduction of antibodies.
Leukemia or cancer of the bone marrow
Hypergammaglobulinaemias : decrease albumin --- increase globulins
1.Chronic infections (gamma)
2.Multiple myeloma (gamma)--- cancer of plasma cell ,abnormal Abs formed (light
chain immunoglobulin ) increase – kidney problem ,thick blood ,mass in bone marrow
or soft tissue ,more than one – multiple myeloma – malignant plasmacytoma .
3.Lipoproteinemias (beta) Atherosclerosis
4.Nephrotic syndrome (alpha)2 globulin increase.
Nephroitic syndrome --- characteristics :Proteinuria ,
Edema,Hyperlipidimia ,
Lipiduria and Hypercoagubility state.
Altered permiability of the glomerular basement membrane leading
to proteinuria
Both in children and an adults
.
Analbuminuria– rare congenital disorder of absence of albumin
synthesis
(homozygus state)
Microalbuminura---Excretion of 30 to 300mg of albumin /day.Early
markar of
Hypertensive and diabetic renal disease.
Cirrhosis of liver---Necrosis of hepatocytes and its replacement by
fibrous tissues due to
Chronic liver disease like Alcoholism/chronic hepatitis.
Multiple myoloma---- Malignant disease of plasma cells , synthesis
of abnormal proteins
BENCE JONES proteins(Light chain Immunoglobulin),excreated in
urine.
BJ proteins also link to the cancers of the lymphatic system,
lymphoma , macroglobulinemia.
The BJ protein is a building block of the antibodies made by
cancerous
Tumors ,detecting it can help doctors diagnose type of cancer.
Detected by urine test :urine protein electrophoresis( UPEP),Urine
immunofixation electrophoresis , or immunoassay for free light
chains
Case study :
A 5 year old child is brought by mother with history of swelling all over
the body for past one week . The swelling started on face specially
around the eyes on getting up in the morning and slowly it was noticed
involving the abdomen ,upper and lower limb .
There is no history of fever , rash or sore troat .
On examination ,the edema was non pitting type .
Following are the results of various investigations :
Total protein : 5.6 gm /dl ( normal = 6.3 -7.9 g /dl )
Serum albumin : 2.3 g /dl ( 3 .7 – 5 .3 g / dl )
Total cholesterol : 258 mg /dl (150 – 250 mg /dl )
24 hrs . Urinary protein : 3.5 g / day ( less than 300 mg /24 hrs .)
1 .What may be the clinical condition this child may be suffering from ?
2.What is the diagnostic criteria of above condition ?
3.What is the reason of low albumin in blood ?
Calculate A/G ratio in this case .what other condition reversal of A/G
ratio is seen .
Key point clinical case of liver cirrhosis
Complaints
Fatigue ,abdominal distension ,Jaundice ,leg swelling ,loss of appetite,nausea
vomiting,bleeding etc
Medical history
Heavy alcohol consumption ,hepatitis B or C ,Family history of liver disease
Non alcoholic fatty liver
Wilsons disease
AT deficiency
Galactosemia ,obesity ,DM.
Physical examination
Hepatomegaly or shrunken liver
Splenomegaly
Ascites
Spider like blood vessels on the skin
Red ness of palm
Lab test
LFT,,PT– prolonged
Increase AST ,ALP,ALT
Low serum albumin ,reversed A:G ratio
Elevated sr.bilirubin
Electrolyte abnormalities .
Electrophoretic pattern
Two brothers one age 3years and other aged 2 years present to OPD For complain of
swelling over bthe body with protruded abdomen .They belong to poor family .family is
mainly surviving on rice az their staple meal with no access to dal and
fruits ,vegetables ,eggs etc .
On examination both children were lethargic ,abdomen was noticibly enlarged.
Examination revealed mild hepatomegaly with ascites .Lowe limbs showed pitting pedal
edema with scally peeling skin at certain places .Hair examination revealed
hyp[opigmentation(flagging in hair )
Comment on the above diagnosis
2.Biochemical basis of above symptoms and signs
3.Line of management .
Thank
you