Plasma iron and transferrin iron-binding capacity evaluated by colorimetric and immunoprecipitation methods.

We evaluated plasma iron (PI) and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) or transferrin in normal individuals and in patients with iron imbalance. The standard colorimetric measurements of PI and TIBC and the standard isotope-dilution measurement of TIBC were compared with an immunoprecipitation method and also with immunoelectrophoresis of transferrin. PI concentrations as measured by the standard and immunoprecipitation methods agreed closely for all individuals except those with saturated transferrin, where nontransferrin iron increased the results in the standard assay. This excess iron in saturated plasma may be derived from either free iron or iron-bearing ferritin. There were also differences in TIBC between the two methods. Iron-deficient sera gave higher values for transferrin when measured by immunoelectrophoresis. Unsaturated iron-binding capacity was increased in the isotope-dilution method in some iron-saturated plasma, compounding errors when added to erroneously high PI values to compute TIBC. Perhaps some exchange of iron occurred between added iron and transferrin iron in the isotope-dilution method. These measurements confirm the accuracy of the standard colorimetric method of measuring PI and TIBC except in iron-saturated plasma. However, the greater specificity of a polyclonal immunoprecipitation method of measuring PI and TIBC makes it particularly useful in differentiating transferrin-bound iron from nontransferrin iron.