Aluminum-binding protein in dialysis dementia. I. Characterization in plasma by gel chromatography and electrophoresis.

A low molecular weight (approx. 8,000 daltons) protein has been found to be the major aluminum-binding protein in plasma of patients with dialysis dementia. Following treatment with desferrioxamine, the concentration of the low molecular weight protein and its aluminum content rise in parallel. The results suggest that aluminum exposure in dialysis dementia may result in the de novo synthesis of an aluminum-binding protein and that desferrioxamine may release aluminum in conjunction with its binding protein from tissue stores.