NCJ Number
139820
Journal
Japanese Journal of Legal Medicine Volume: 46 Issue: 3 Dated: (June 1992) Pages: 169-176
Date Published
1992
Length
10 pages
Annotation
A sandwich enzyme immunoassay for human liver-specific antigen (LSA) was developed and found to be effective for detecting liver injury from blood.
Abstract
LSA was purified from the human liver, and the antibody to the human LSA only reacted with the live extract using the immuno-dotblotting technique. Depending on the immunohistochemical study, the LSA was found to be located within the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. A sensitive and specific sandwich enzyme immunoassay was then developed for the measurement of LSA. The detection limit of human LSA was 1 fmol/tube (52 pg/tube) and this assay was not affected by hemolysis. The LSA levels in serum and blood from health individuals were distributed within a range below the detection limit. The LSA levels in the blood from cadavers whose livers had been damaged were markedly elevated (10 to 140-fold) compared to the normal levels found in other cadavers. No cross-reaction was observed with the liver extracts from several species, including mice, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. The results suggest that the measurement of LSA levels in blood will become a useful marker for the detection of liver injury. Figures, tables, photographs, and 14 references (Author abstract modified)