An Electrophoretic Study of Exudative Diathesis in Chicks

Abstract

Comparative paper electrophoretic analyses have been made of the proteins in the plasma of chicks which received a semi-purified diet with and without vitamin E. Similar analyses were conducted on exudates of the vitamin E-deficient chicks. A decrease in the percentage of total protein, and more markedly in the albumin, was shown in chicks suffering from exudative diathesis. The exudates produced electrophoretic patterns which were qualitatively similar to those obtained from the plasmas of the same chicks. However, significant quantitative differences were found in the percentage of total protein and the A/G ratios. Chicks on a stock ration showed a much higher A/G ratio than corresponding chicks of equivalent age on the basal experimental diet supplemented with a high level of vitamin E. Oral administration of 0.25 ml of pure d-α-tocopheryl acetate produced complete recovery of chicks suffering from exudative diathesis. The possible role of vitamin E in capillary permeability and protein synthesis has been diseussed.