EFFECTS OF POSTURE AND ACTIVITY ON THE, MAJOR
FRACTIONS OF SERUM PROTEIN
As DETERMINED BY THE PHOSPHATE TURBIDITY METHOD
J. C. AULL, M.S., AND WILLIAM M. McCORD, M.D., P H . D .
Department of Chemistry, Medical College of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
Changes in serum protein concentrations following changes in posture or activity have been reported by a number of early workers.4, 5 ' 7 , 8 Marrack and
Hoch3 have emphasized the importance of considering these factors in the interpretation of concentrations of serum protein. Wolfson and Cohn10 state that the
concentration of all serum protein fractions may be 15 per cent higher in the
same individual when ambulatory than when at bed rest for 1 or more hours.
However, Whitehead and his associates0 report an increase in the albumin only
with no significant alteration in any of the globulin fractions. The purpose of
this investigation was 2-fold: (1) to determine normal values for the major serum
protein fractions by the recently proposed phosphate turbidity method, and
(2) to study the extent to which these values may be altered by changes in
posture or activity.
MATERIALS AND
METHODS
Test material was obtained from 40 male medical students, all apparently
healthy and living in the same dormitory.
From each of 20 of these individuals, 3 blood samples were collected as follows:
sample A was collected before the student had arisen in the morning; sample B
was drawn before breakfast on the same day as sample A, but 15 to 30 min.
after the student had arisen; sample C was collected during midmorning 2 to
3 weeks later, while the students were engaged in the usual activities of a course
in biochemistry. One sample only (sample B) was collected from each of the
remaining 20 students.
Blood samples were drawn from an arm vein, and serum was obtained by
centrifugation 1 to 2 hours after clotting. The serum proteins were determined
by the phosphate turbidity method of Aull and McCord.1
R E S U L T S AND
DISCUSSION
Norvial values. The absolute concentration and percentage distribution of
the major fractions of serum protein found in our experiments are shown in
Table 1. These values were all obtained from analyses of serum samples B, collected as explained above. Our results are in reasonably close agreement with
the electrophoretic values for healthy young men recently reported by Berry
and Chanutin. 2 Reiner and his associates6 found higher albumin and lower beta
and gamma globulin concentrations in "family" donors than in "professional"
Received, June 18, 1956; accepted for publication October 3.
Mr. Aull is Assistant Professor of Chemistry, and Dr. McCord is Professor of Chemistry.
52
Jan.
1957
MAJOR SERUM PROTEIN FRACTIONS
53
TABLE l
NORMAL
VALUES
FOB THE M A J O R S E R U M P R O T E I N
NORMAL
ADULTS—PHOSPHATE
FRACTIONS
TURBIDITY
(40
HEALTHY
METHOD)
Mean
Range
Gm./lOO ml.
Per cent of total protein
Gm./lOO ml.
Total protein
Albumin
Alpha globulin
B e t a globulin
Gamma globulin
7.24
4.25
1.01
1.15
0.83
6.58-8.17
3.72-4.73
0.80-1.21
0.91-1.42
0.53-1.21
5S.7
14.0
15.9
11.5
TABLE 2
.EFFECT OF P O S T U R E
AND ACTIVITY
ON S E R U M P R O T E I N S
ADULTS—PHOSPHATE
TURBIDITY
(20
HEALTHY
NORMAL
METHOD)
Mean
Gm./lOO ml
Per cent of total protein
Gm./lOO ml.
Total protein
Sample A*
Sample B
Sample C
Albumin
Sample A
Sample B
Sample C
Alpha globulin
Sample A
Sample B
Sample C
B e t a globulin
Sample A
Sample B
Sample C
Gamma globulin
Sample A
Sample B
Sample C
5.98-7.51
6.78-7.63
6.73-S.46
6.73
7.26
7.61
3.S1-4.23
3.96-4.73
4.07-4.S5
3.96
4.25
4.41
5S.S
5S.5
5S.0
0.60-1.16
0.80-1.17
0.85-1.44
0.92
1.01
1.10
13.7
13.9
14.4
0.79-1.26
0.91-1.40
0.91-1.44
1.07
1.13
1. IS
15.9
15.6
15.5
0.49-1.09
0.57-1.21
0.61-1.28
0.7S
0.87
0.92
11.6
12.0
12.1
* See text for explanation of samples A, B , and C.
donors. Wolfson and Cohn10 have also noted rather large differences between the
serum protein values of healthy normal adults and those of "professional blood
donors." In general, our results are intermediate between those obtained in the
"family" donor series of Reiner and his co-workers6 and the healthy normal
adults of Wolfson and Cohn.10
Effect of posture and activity. Comparison of results obtained from serum samples A and B (Table 2) show that a significant increase in values of serum pro-
54
ATJLL AND MCCOKD
Vol. 27
tein may occur within 15 to 30 min. after changing from a recumbent to an upright position. In 20 people the average increase in total serum proteins was
0.53 Gm. per 100 ml. In 2, no significant increase was observed. The maximum
increase was 0.9 Gm. Perera and Berliner,4 in a study of 10 apparently normal
young adults, collected samples of blood at 2-hour intervals throughout the day
and night and found that concentrations of serum protein averaged about 0.8
Gm. per 100 ml. more when the people were up and about than when they were
resting in bed. Our results were less consistent, and the average increase in protein content was lower than that obtained by these investigators. This suggests
that the time interval of 15 to 30 minutes used in our experiments was not sufficient for a maximal effect on concentrations of serum protein in all cases.
Results obtained on sample C (Table 2) show an average increase in total
serum proteins of 0.88 Gm. over those obtained with sample A. This value is
almost identical with the diurnal variation in serum proteins observed by Perera
and Berliner.4 Since in our experiments sample C was drawn during mid-morning, 2 to 3 weeks after sample A had been obtained, the following factors could
be involved in the changes observed: (1) changes in the nutritional status of the
persons concerned; (2) the non-fasting nature of sample C; (3) additional effects
of posture and activity over those observed in sample B. The first of these factors would seem to be of little consequence in view of the rather standardized
life and diet of the young men, who showed no appreciable change in weight or
general health during the time of the experiment. The second factor might be
expected to result in slight increases in the fractions of alpha and beta globulin
as a result of lipoprotein formation. This factor may be responsible for the relatively large increase in the maximum value of alpha globulin found in sample C.
However, the average increase in all protein fractions is approximately proportional, and it is unlikely that absorption played a significant role in connection
with the increased concentrations of protein observed in sample C. Our results
are best explained on the basis of the third factor mentioned above. In general
those persons who showed a maximal increase in concentration of protein in the
15- to 30-min. period (sample B) showed little or no increase in sample C. On
the other hand, when no appreciable change in concentration of protein was
observed in the 15- to 30-min. period, a very significant increase was found after
2 to 3 hours of normal activity.
Reasons for the individual variations observed in our experiments are not
clear. Perera and Berliner4 found that people who walked rapidly for 5 min.,
after a 45-min. rest in the horizontal position, showed a greater increase in concentration of protein than did those who were lying quietly on a tilt-table at an
angle of 60 degrees for the same length of time. Differences in physical activity
may partially account for the individual variations seen in our experiments.
From our data we cannot evaluate the relative effects of physical activity and
postural changes on the concentrations of serum protein.
Whitehead and his associates9 determined serum proteins in 15 apparently
normal persons (10 men and 5 women between the ages of 21 and 65 years)
before they arose in the morning and again after they had had 8 hours of normal
activity. An average increase of 0.41 Gm. per 100 ml. was found in the albumin
Jan.
1957
MAJOR SERUM PROTEIN FRACTIONS
55
fraction, but no significant increase in any of the globulin fractions. On the other
hand, our results (Table 2) indicate that a change in total serum proteins resulting from a change in posture and activity is accompanied by a parallel change
in albumin and in the alpha, beta, and gamma globulin fractions. The percentage distribution of the protein fractions remains essentially the same.
SUMMARY
1. The concentration and percentage distribution of the major serum protein
fractions have been studied by the phosphate turbidity method. The mean results obtained on 40 healthy normal adults were as follows: total protein, 7.24
Gm. per 100 ml.; albumin, 4.25 Gm. per 100 ml. (58.7 per cent); alpha globulins,
1.01 Gm. per 100 ml. (14.0 per cent); beta globulin 1.15 Gm. per 100 ml. (15.9
per cent); gamma globulin, 0.83 Gm. per 100 ml. (11.5 per cent).
2. Erect posture and activity resulted in increased concentrations of serum
protein, without altering the percentage of the components.
3. We have also discussed individual variations and the interrelation of posture with activity, as encountered in the experiments.
SUMMARIO IN INTERLINGUA
1. Le concentration e le distribution percentual del major fractiones de proteina serai esseva studiate per medio del methodo de turbiditate a phosphate
Le resultatos medie obtenite ab 40 normal adultos in bon stato de sanitate esseva
le sequente: Proteina total, 7.24 Gm. per 100 ml.; albumina, 4.25 Gm. per 100
ml. (58.7 per cent); globulinas alpha, 1.01 Gm. per 100 ml. (14.0 per cent);
globulina beta, 1.15 Gm. per 100 ml. (15.9 per cent); globulina gamma, 0.83 Gm.
per 100 ml. (11.5 por cento).
2. Postura erecte e activitate resultava in augmentate concentrationes del
proteina serai sed non alterava le percentage de us componentes.
3. Nos ha etiam discutite variationes individual e le interrelation de postura
e activitate in tanto que observate in le presente experimentos.
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1955.
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