Two Dimensional Immunoelectrophoretic Patterns of Alpha₂ Macroglobulin in Subjects with and Without Thrombotic Tendencies

In an attempt to determine whether compensatory changes in alpha₂ macroglobulin occur in patients with thrombotic tendencies, studies were performed by the two dimensional immunoelec-trophoretic technique of Laurell on the plasmas of healthy laboratory workers and patients with possible thrombotic tendencies. A single, broad, asymmetrical peak was noted in 16 of 18 laboratory workers. A slower moving discrete second spike of lesser magnitude was found in 2 of the 18. A pattern with two peaks appeared in 11 of 14 patients on warfarin therapy for recurrent thrombophlebitis (8 of 8), for prophylaxis after artificial heart valve replacement (3 of 3), and coronary revascularization (1 of 3). Antithrombin III patterns studied according to Sas were normal in all but 2 of these patients. A volunteer ingesting warfarin was normal. A single patient with liver disease showed two peaks.

Preliminary in vitro incubation of plasma with thrombin, plasmin, or streptokinase failed to create more than one peak.

These preliminary data suggest changes in alpha₂ macroglobulin may represent in vivo coagulation and might provide another means to identify thrombosis prone individuals.