%0 journal article
%@ 1756-5901
%A Grebe, M., Pröfrock, D., Kakuschke, A., Broekaert, J.A.C., Prange, A.

%D 2011
%J Metallomics
%N 2
%P 176-185 
%R doi:10.1039/c0mt00076k
%T Absolute quantification of transferrin in blood samples of harbour seals using HPLC-ICP-MS
%U https://doi.org/10.1039/c0mt00076k
2 
%X Currently, most assay based quantification methods for Tf are limited since they often provide only information of the total Tf concentration rather than its different isoforms or deliver only relative concentrations of the Tf isoforms. Due to the lack of suitable antibodies for seal Tf also the application of more specific antibody based approaches is not possible. Within this background a new approach for the absolute quantification of the iron-transport protein Tf in the blood of harbour seals using its characteristic iron content and HPLC-ICP-MS detection is described. Method validation was performed using a certified human serum reference material (ERM-DA470K/IFCC). A Tf concentration of 2.33 ± 0.03 g L-1 (sum of all quantified isoforms) has been calculated, which is in good agreement with the certified total Tf concentration of 2.35 ± 0.08 g L-1, confirming the accuracy of the proposed analytical method. Finally, different seal samples were analysed to demonstrate the suitability of the method for the quantification of Tf in real samples as well as to observe modified glycoform patterns. A baseline reference range of 1.50 – 2.44 g L-1 Tf in serum and 0.00 – 0.18 g L-1 CDT in serum of harbour seals of the German North Sea was estimated.