Isoenzymatic patterns of human galactosyltransferase from normal and cancer patients.

Chromatofocusing revealed the high heterogeneity of human serum galactosyltransferase with regard to isoelectric point. At least 11 major peaks of activity were observed for normal sera, at the following pH elutions: 4.3, 4.4, 4.6, 4.77, 5.0, 5.15, 5.45, 5.8, 6.35, 6.65, and 6.9. In addition, a fraction of the activity was eluted above pH 7. Some of those peaks were also present in sera from cancer patients, but almost all the peaks in the 7.4-5.4 pH range had disappeared. Alpha-lactalbumin affinity chromatography strongly modified the chromatofocusing pattern of galactosyltransferase from an ascitic fluid of a cancer patient.