COMPARISON OF SODIUM DODECYL SULFATE-POLYACRYLAMIDE GEL-ELECTROPHORESIS WITH QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF CADMIUM-INDUCED PROTEINURIA

The urinary protein patterns of sixteen control workers and twenty-two workers exposed to cadmium were determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The results were compared with those obtained by the quantitative determination in urine of total protein and specific proteins (β2-microglobulin, albumin, transferrin, and IgG). They confirm that the molecular weights the proteins which are excreted in greater amounts in case of renal damage induced by cadmium range from 10,000 to 160,000. The areas of the electrophoretic peaks with the relative mobility of β2-microglobulin, albumin, transferrin, and IgG are significantly correlated with the results obtained by the immunological determination of these proteins. A correlation was also observed between the total peak area of the electrophoretic patterns and the total urinary protein measured by the biuret method. Electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel containing sodium dodecyl sulfate appears to be a suitable-semi-quantitative method for the detection of kidney damage induced by cadmium. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.