Transferrin
Transferrin
Reagent | Transferrin
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Excellent precision
The Transferrin assay has a precision of less than 5% CV
Applications available
For a wide variety of clinical chemistry analysers including the RX series
Strong correlation
The Transferrin assay showed a correlation coefficient of 0.98 against another commercially available method utilising a BCR/CAP/IFCC CRM 470 international standard
Randox Transferrin (Immunoturbidmetric)
- Immunoturbidimetric method
- Liquid ready-to-use reagents
- Stable to expiry at 2-8⁰C
- Measuring range 7.60-536 mg/dl
- Applications available
| Cat No | Size | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TF3831 | R1 6 x 20ml (L) R2 3 x 14ml | Enquire | Kit Insert Request | MSDS | Buy Online |
| (L) Indicates liquid option | |||||
Instrument Specific Applications (ISA’s) are available for a wide range of biochemistry analysers. Contact us to enquire about your specific analyser.
What is Transferrin assay used for?
Transferrin (siderophilin) is the principal iron binding and transport protein in human plasma and can bind two molecules of iron. The normal range for healthy adults is 200-400 mg/dl. Iron availability in the plasma regulates transferrin levels which increase when plasma iron is low.
Transferrin levels increase during pregnancy and oestrogen administration and correlate closely with Total Iron Binding Capacity of serum. Plasma transferrin levels are associated with a range of conditions including anaemia, iron deficiency, inflammation or malignancy, liver disease, malnutrition and protein loss.
Transferrin can also be described as a preventative antioxidant and acts by binding iron in a redox inactive form. This process is extremely important as free iron is capable of stimulating the production of harmful free radicals
Antioxidant Panel
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Specific Proteins Panel
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Iron Deficiency Anaemia during Pregnancy
On a global scale, 1.62 billion people are affected by anaemia which is equivalent to 24.8% of the population ₁. According to a review carried out by WHO of various national surveys, anaemia affects approximately 42% of pregnant women worldwide and it is also estimated that at least 50% of all anaemia cases are due to iron deficiency.
Anaemia caused by iron deficiency is usually expected during pregnancy. This is due to several reasons: the increased demand for iron by a pregnant woman’s body from increased total blood cell volume, requirements of the foetus and placenta as well as mass blood loss during labour₂. Although iron cost is unbalanced by the lack of loss of menstrual blood during pregnancy, the net cost is still high enough that iron recommendations are higher than in non-pregnant women. Also, iron is critical during pregnancy considering its involvement in foetal growth: 600-800mg of iron is required during pregnancy with around 300mg needed just for the foetus, a minimum of 25mg for the placenta and almost 500mg due to the increase in volume of red blood cells. ₃
Iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency in pregnant women leading to iron deficiency anaemia if left untreated. However, iron deficiency can be difficult to measure in some populations due to the lack of availability of field-specific biomarkers. For example, anaemia can affect up to 56% of pregnant women in developing countries, which suggests a high prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia: around 25%. In settings with endemic malaria, such as certain countries in Africa, the number of pregnant women with anaemia is much higher: around 65%.
There are various factors that may increase the risks of iron deficiency anaemia. For example, a diet influenced by religious beliefs can cause a lack of iron in the diet, such as vegetarianism which is common in countries such as India where religious beliefs dictate this. Iron levels can also be affected by consumption of nutrients which inhibit proper absorption of iron, such as calcium or ones that promote iron absorption, such as vitamin C. Other circumstantial risks include infections, multiple pregnancies and adolescent pregnancy while socioeconomic factors and access to healthcare mean some women won’t have access to anaemia control programs, iron supplements or even access to information about iron deficiency anaemia during pregnancy.
To prevent iron deficiency, international guidelines state that iron supplementation to manage iron deficiency is recommended during pregnancy. ₄ However, this is not always available, especially in developing countries.
Iron deficiency anaemia during pregnancy can cause several complications for the mother including:
- Increased fatigue
- Short-term memory loss
- Decreased attention span
- Increased pressure on the cardiovascular system due to insufficient haemoglobin and blood oxygen levels
- Lower resistance to infections
- Reduced tolerance to significant blood loss and surgical implications during labour.
As expected, neonates with mothers who suffered from iron deficiency anaemia during pregnancy will also be confronted with risks and, even if iron deficiency is only mild to moderate, can result in a premature birth, complications with foetal brain development, low birth weight and even foetal death. Additionally, it has been proven that cognitive and behavioural abnormalities can be seen in children for up to ten years after iron insufficiency in the womb.
Randox Soluble Transferrin Receptor (sTfR) Reagent
Randox Reagents offer a Soluble Transferrin Receptor assay to expand upon our current iron testing offering.
In iron deficiency anaemia, soluble transferrin receptor levels are significantly increased, however, remain normal in acute phase conditions including: chronic diseases and inflammation. As such, sTfR measurements are useful in the differential diagnosis of anaemia: anaemia of chronic disease or iron deficiency anaemia.
In iron deficiency anaemia, increased sTfR levels have also been observed in haemolytic anaemia, sickle cell anaemia and B12 deficiency.
The benefits of the Randox Soluble Transferrin Receptor (sTfR) Reagent include:
- Latex enhanced immunoturbidimetric method facilitating testing on biochemistry analysers and eliminating the need for dedicated equipment.
- Liquid ready-to-use reagents for convenience and ease-of-use
- Stable to expiry date when stored at +2 to +8 °C
- Excellent measuring range of 0.5 – 11.77mg/L, comfortably detecting levels outside of the normal health range of 0.65 – 1.88mg/L
- Excellent correlation coefficient of r=0.977 when compared against other commercially available methods
- Applications available detailing instrument-specific settings for a wide range of clinical chemistry analysers
Find out more at: https://www.randox.com/stfr/
References:
- de Benoist B et al., eds.Worldwide prevalence of anaemia 1993-2005. WHO Global Database on Anaemia Geneva, World Health Organization, 2008.
- Harvey et al, Assessment of Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Pregnant Women: An Observational French Study, Women’s Health, Vol 12 Issue 1, 2016
- Burke et al, Identification, Prevention and Treatment of Iron Deficiency during the First 1000 Days, Nutrients, Vol 6 Issue 10, 2014
- Guideline: Daily Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation in Pregnant Women. World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland: 2012
If you are a clinician or laboratory who are interested in running assays to test iron status, Randox offer a range of assays, including: Iron, Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC), Transferrin and Ferritin . These assays can be run on most automated biochemistry analysers.
Instrument Specific Applications (ISA’s) are available for a wide range of biochemistry analysers. Contact us to enquire about your specific analyser.
For more information, visit: https://www.randox.com/stfr / or email: reagents@randox.com
Inflammatory Biomarker Series: Antioxidants
So far in our inflammatory biomarker series, we have considered the clinical significance of measuring rheumatoid factor (RF) and C-reactive protein (CRP) to detect inflammation. Inflammation, either chronic or acute, is the body’s immune response to protect against harmful stimuli such as damaged cells, irritants or pathogens and can be present in a range of diseases and conditions.1 Measuring inflammatory biomarkers can assist clinicians in the identification of a particular disease or can provide a marker of treatment response. In this blog, we consider the role of antioxidants and identify relevant biomarkers which may be linked to inflammatory states.
What is an antioxidant?
An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that produces free radicals, which are groups of very reactive molecules that can interrupt important cellular processes. Antioxidants are commonly referenced with regards to food, however antioxidants are also found in the body in the form of enzymes. Their purpose is to protect against the effects of oxidative stress to reduce damage from free radicals.
What is the link between antioxidants and inflammation?
Oxidative stress and the inflammation associated with it are the cause of most human disease. This would suggest that free radicals are implicated in many disease states for example rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, stroke, or cancer. Therefore antioxidants are important to protect against oxidative damage, thus reducing the risk of inflammation. There are a number of antioxidants which play a protective role the body, such as ferritin, superoxide dismutase, transferrin, uric acid and glutathione reductase.
Ferritin
Ferritin is responsible for storing iron and releasing it when required. Ordinarily, ferritin is found inside blood cells with only a small amount circulating in the blood. Ferritin is clinically significant at both high and low levels. Low levels of ferritin can highlight an iron deficiency which causes anaemia. Whereas elevated levels of ferritin can be a result of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, haemochromatosis, liver disease, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and renal failure.2 As ferritin is an acute phase reactant, levels will be elevated in any inflammatory state within the body.3
Transferrin
Transferrin is a protein that is responsible for binding and transporting iron in the blood. Transferrin acts as a preventative antioxidant as it binds with free iron, removing it from the bloodstream. This is a critical function, as free iron can stimulate the production of harmful free radicals. As transferrin is a negative acute phase protein, lower levels are associated with inflammatory conditions.7
Superoxide Dismutase
Superoxide is a by-product of oxygen metabolism and is one of the most damaging free radicals in the body as it can cause cell damage. Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) is an enzyme which catalyses the breakdown of superoxide into a less damaging oxygen or hydrogen peroxide. Therefore SOD preforms a vital defensive function to reduce oxidative stress.4 Extensive research exists which links oxidative stress to chronic inflammation, which can be a contributing factor to diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and cancer.5 Therefore if levels of superoxide dismutase are low, patients are at risk inflammation, for example, SOD levels are significantly less in rheumatoid arthritis patients.6
Glutathione Reductase
Glutathione reductase is found in red blood cells and plays a key role in maintaining cell function and preventing oxidative stress in human cells. Reduced levels of glutathione reductase can contribute to the prevalence of inflammatory states, suggesting that adequate levels of glutathione reductase are essential for optimal function of the immune system. 7, 8
Uric Acid
Uric acid is a waste product produced when the body breaks down chemical compounds called purines. It is a scavenging antioxidant that acts by inactivating free radicals. Elevated levels of uric acid is commonly associated with gout, a type of arthritis which is caused when crystals of sodium urate form inside joints causing rapid and painful inflammation.9 Other research has indicated that elevated levels of uric acid is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Total Antioxidant Status (TAS)
TAS is a measurement of antioxidant function rather than quantity and considers the cumulative effect of all antioxidants present. The antioxidant defence system has many components, and a deficiency in any of these components can cause a reduction in the overall antioxidant status of an individual.10 Reduction in total antioxidant status has been implicated in several disease states including cancer, CVD, Arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease.
As demonstrated above, different types of antioxidants can help reduce different types of inflammation. Antioxidant tests can be requested from any doctor, who may also review dietary intake, investigate any symptoms and advise if testing is required. If antioxidant levels are found to be inadequate, improving them can be easily done through dietary changes, and can help reduce a body’s overall inflammation.
For health professionals
Randox Laboratories offer a range of diagnostic reagents for antioxidant testing to assist in the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases. Randox offer a complete diagnostic package with applications for a range of biochemistry analysers and a selection of kit sizes, controls and calibrators available. Available tests include: Ferritin, Transferrin, Superoxide Dismutase (Ransod), Glutathione Reductase, Uric Acid, and Total Antioxidant Status (TAS).
References:
- Nordqvist, C., Inflammation: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment. Medical News Today, 2015, https://goo.gl/rT4WS9 (accessed 16 January 2017)
- Koperdanova, M., Interpreting raised serum ferritin levels, British Medical Journal, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h3692 (accessed 2 February 2017)
- Nall, R. Ferritin Level Blood Test, Health Line, 2015, https://goo.gl/XGcW9P (accessed 2 February 2017)
- Yasui, K. and Baba, A., Therapeutic potential of superoxide dismutase (SOD) for resolution of inflammation. Inflammation Research. Vol.55, No.9, pp.359-363, 2006, 1007/s00011-006-5195-y (accessed 2 February 2017)
- Reuter, S., Gupta, S.C., Chaturvedi, M.M., Aggarwal, B.B., Oxidative stress, inflammation and cancer: How are they linked? Free Radic Biol Med. 2010, 1; 49(11):1603-1616 https://goo.gl/Uez3JZ (accessed 2 February 2017)
- Bae SC, Kim SJ, Sung MK., Inadequate antioxidant nutrient intake and altered plasma antioxidant status of rheumatoid arthritis patients. J Am Coll Nutr. 2003 Aug;22(4):311-5
- Reynolds, B., Glutathione for inflammatory respsonse, FX Medicine, 2015, Available from: https://goo.gl/2YAv5l (accessed 3 February 2017)
- Morris, G., Anderson, G., Dean, O. et al., The glutathione system: a new drug target in neuroimmune disorders. Mol Neurobiol 2014;50(3):1059-1084, Available from: https://goo.gl/PDSgwv (accessed 3 February 2017)
- Malaghan Institute, Uric acid – a new look at an old marker of inflammation, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, 2013, Available from: https://goo.gl/P6NfXP
- Li, Y., Browne, R.W., Bonner, M.R., Deng, F., Tian, L., Mu, L., Positive Relationship between Total Antioxidant Status and Chemokines Observed in Adults. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2014, Available from: https://goo.gl/rmj5MB (accessed 9 February 2017)
