Effects of alcohol abuse on human serum proteins revealed by two‐dimensional electrophoresis

Alcohol‐associated changes in human serum protein patrerns have been detected by silver staining following high resolution two‐dimensional electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing‐multiple gel piece electrophoresis. In the sera of alcoholics the concentration of α 1 ‐acid glycorportein was consistently increased and in a high proporation of sera elevated levels of IgA, α 1 ‐antichymotrypsin, haptoglobins and apo A‐I lipoprotein were observed. Increased levels of additional unidentified polypeptides were also detected. In contrast, reduced levels of antithrombin III were predominantly associated with the sera of alcoholics. The use of these polypeptides as potential clinical markers for alcohol abuse is discussed.