The Journal of Biological Physics and Chemistry

2011

 

Volume 11, Number 1, p.p. 26–29

 

 

Thermal characteristics of the blood of children with bronchopneumonia: a DSC study

J. Monaselidze,* D. Khachidze, M. Gorgoshidze, M. Kiladze and E. Lomidze

E. Andronikashvili Institute of Physics, I. Javakhishvili State University, 6, Tamarashvili St, 0177 Tbilisi, Georgia

The thermal properties of whole blood, suspensions of blood erythrocytes, and plasma from healthy (the norm) and sick (with bronchopneumonia) children in the age range 2–5 years have been investigated with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).  It has been shown that the main contribution to the denaturation enthalpy (Dd) of whole blood is from the oxy- and met- forms of haemoglobin, which denatures at temperature (Td) of around 69 °C and 78 °C in the norm, and (the oxy- form) at 68 °C in the case of bronchopneumonia. The lipid-free albumin fraction (containing 90% of total albumin) denatures at around 61 °C in the norm, and at 70 °C and 78 °C in the case of the disease. We suppose that the new transitions associated with the disease appear as a result of specific biomarkers binding with albumin. With its possibility of detecting structural transitions of proteins and their complexes at a high scanning rate (2–10 °C/min), DSC may be used as a new tool for the rapid diagnosis of disease.

Keywords: bronchopneumonia, calorimetry, thermostability, whole blood

 

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