Comparison of acidic and basic chromosomal proteins from normal human endometrium and undifferentiated endometrial carcinoma by isoelectric focussing and microgel-electrophoresis.

In the study reported here, non-histamine chromosomal proteins from proliferative and secretory human endometrium, and from undifferentiated endometrial carcinoma have been separated into more than 750 protein components, using a new preparative and highly sensitive analytical method. The following experimental procedure was applied: 1. Dissociation of chromatin under different conditions (variable parameters: ion strength, dissociation agents, shearing, pH), 2. cation exchange chromatography over Bio Rex, 3. preparative fractionation of those non-histamine chromosomal proteins which are not adsorbed on Bio Rex 70 in a Valmet-electrofocusing apparatus, 4. micro-electrophoresis of the focused proteins in microgels containing a continous gradient of polyacrylamide, 5. two-dimensional electrophoresis of the strongly basic chromosomal proteins. There are qualitative differences with respect to the components of this class of proteins between proliferative and secretory endometrium and endometrial carcinoma. The relevance of these results to the control of gene activity is discussed.