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Determination of protein fractions
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Changes in albumin fraction. An increase in the absolute albumin content is usually not observed.
Changes in the α 1 -globulin fraction. The main components of this fraction include α 1 -antitrypsin, α 1 -lipoprotein, acidic α 1 -glycoprotein.
- An increase in the α 1 -globulin fraction is observed in acute, subacute, and exacerbation of chronic inflammatory processes; liver damage; all processes of tissue decay or cell proliferation.
- A decrease in the α 1 -globulin fraction is observed with α1 -antitrypsin deficiency and hypo-α 1 -lipoproteinemia.
Changes in the α 2 -globulin fraction. The α 2 -fraction contains α 2 -macroglobulin, haptoglobin, apolipoproteins A, B (apo-A, apo-B), C, ceruloplasmin.
- An increase in the α2 -globulin fraction is observed in all types of acute inflammatory processes, especially those with a pronounced exudative and purulent nature (pneumonia, pleural empyema, other types of purulent processes); diseases associated with the involvement of connective tissue in the pathological process (collagenoses, autoimmune diseases, rheumatic diseases); malignant tumors; in the recovery stage after thermal burns; nephrotic syndrome; hemolysis of blood in a test tube.
- A decrease in the α2-globulin fraction is observed in diabetes mellitus, pancreatitis (sometimes), congenital jaundice of mechanical origin in newborns, and toxic hepatitis.
The α-globulins comprise the bulk of acute phase proteins. An increase in their content reflects the intensity of the stress response and inflammatory processes in the listed types of pathology.
Changes in the beta-globulin fraction. The beta fraction contains transferrin, hemopexin, complement components, Ig and lipoproteins (LP).
- An increase in the beta-globulin fraction is detected in primary and secondary hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) (especially type II), liver diseases, nephrotic syndrome, bleeding gastric ulcer, and hypothyroidism.
- Reduced levels of beta-globulins are detected in hypo-beta-lipoproteinemia.
Changes in the γ-globulin fraction. The γ-fraction contains Ig (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, IgE), therefore an increase in the γ-globulin content is noted in the reaction of the immune system, when antibodies and autoantibodies are produced: in viral and bacterial infections, inflammation, collagenoses, tissue destruction and burns. Significant hypergammaglobulinemia, reflecting the activity of the inflammatory process, is characteristic of chronic active hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. An increase in the γ-globulin fraction is observed in 88-92% of patients with chronic active hepatitis (and in 60-65% of patients it is very pronounced - up to 26 g / l and higher). Almost the same changes are observed in patients with highly active and advanced liver cirrhosis, and the content of γ-globulins often exceeds the content of albumins, which is considered a poor prognostic sign.
In certain diseases, increased synthesis of proteins entering the γ-globulin fraction is possible, and pathological proteins appear in the blood - paraproteins, which are detected by electrophoresis. Immunoelectrophoresis is necessary to clarify the nature of these changes. Similar changes are noted in myeloma disease, Waldenstrom's disease.
An increase in the content of γ-globulins in the blood is also observed in rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, endothelioma, osteosarcoma, and candidiasis.
A decrease in the content of γ-globulins can be primary and secondary. There are three main types of primary hypogammaglobulinemia: physiological (in children aged 3-5 months), congenital and idiopathic. The causes of secondary hypogammaglobulinemia can be numerous diseases and conditions leading to depletion of the immune system.
A comparison of the direction of changes in the content of albumins and globulins with changes in the total protein content provides grounds for the conclusion that hyperproteinemia is more often associated with hyperglobulinemia, while hypoproteinemia is usually caused by hypoalbuminemia.
In the past, the calculation of the albumin-globulin ratio, i.e. the ratio of the albumin fraction to the globulin fraction, was widely used. Normally, this indicator is 2.5-3.5. In patients with chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis, this ratio decreases to 1.5 and even to 1 due to a decrease in albumin content and an increase in the globulin fraction.
In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to determining the content of prealbumins, especially in severe resuscitation patients on parenteral nutrition. A decrease in the concentration of prealbumins is an early and sensitive test for protein deficiency in the patient's body.
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