Abstract
Evaluation of analytical techniques used in the detection of alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency. The serum AAT was determined by several techniques, namely nephlometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serum protein electrophoresis for 3 groups of samples: group (1) compromise of patients with emphysema or COPD, a group (2) consisted of age matched normal control population belonging to both sexes and group (3) comprised of smokers with a minimum of 10 pack years of smoking history. The research was focused on comparing the different quantitative techniques of serum antitrypsin level in the above sample groups. We evaluated three different methods of quantification namely, immune nephlometry, ELISA, and a protein profiling by serum protein electrophoresis. Comparison of AAT quantification, ELISA was the better precision method than nephlometric one. Also, serum protein electrophoresis revealed indications of the deficiency and the heterozygous genetic makeup of the affected individuals. The genotype of AAT deficient samples was investigated using polymerase chain reaction revealed in the presence of the S and Z alleles. PCR results confirmed of s, z or sz genotypes in some of deficient samples. Serum protein electrophoresis can be used as a valuable diagnostic method for early lab diagnosis of risk people.