Immunoelectrophoretic studies on human small intestinal brush border proteins. A qualitative study of the protein composition.

The human small intestinal brush border proteins were studied qualitatively by crossed immunoelectrophoresis. Brush border membranes were purified from human jejunum and the proteins released by Triton X-100. Rabbits were immunized with the released proteins and by using a double layer immunofluorescence technique the obtained antisera were shown to be specific against the brush border proteins. The precipitates obtained in crossed immunoelectrophoresis were identified by enzymatic staining techniques. Sucrase (EC 3.2.1.48), isomaltase EC 3.2.1.10), maltase (EC 3.2.1.20), phloretin-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.62), lactase (EC3.2.1.23), microvillus aminopeptidase (aminopeptidase (microsomal), EC 3.4.11.2), dipeptidyl peptidase IV (EC 3.4.14.X), and alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) were identified while asparate aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.7), gamma-glutamyl transferase (EC 2.3.2.2) and trehalase (EC 3.2.1.28) could not be visualized. This work demonstrates that cross immunoelectrophoresis can be used in the study of human small intestinal brush border proteins.