CONTENT AND COMPOSITION OF THE MUCOPROTEIN FRACTION OF HUMAN SERUM (SEROMUCOID) IN DISEASE, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HEMATOLOGIC DISORDERS1

Abstract

Total mucoprotein, mucoprotein-bound hexoses and hexosamine were studied in a series of 111 patients with various hematologic disorders and in 8 healthy individuals. Data were analyzed by standard statistical procedures and their significance assessed by the use of the "t" test. The mucoprotein fraction and total hemosamine were quantitatively increased in diseases of a neoplastic nature. Significant variations of the protein-bound and mucoprotein-bound hexoses were observed in many instances. Fairly distinctive patterns were found in a few diseases (multiple myeloma, lymphosarcoma, and disseminated malignancies). The various anomalies observed suggested that the composition of the mucoprotein fraction of serum may be abnormal in disease.