Journal of Primary & Acquired Immunodeficiency Research

Alpha-Fetoprotein as a Biomarker in Immunodeficiency Diseases: Relevance to Ataxia Telangiectasia and Related Disorders, Immunodiagnostics

Gerald J Mizejewski

 Alpha-Fetoprotein as a Biomarker in Immunodeficiency Diseases: Relevance to Ataxia Telangiectasia and Related Disorders

Human Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) involvement as a biomarker in immunodeficiency disorders (IDD) has received little attention in the biomedical literature due to the recent focus on AFP epitope analysis, vaccine development, and regulation of T- and B-cell immune responses. Thus, the literature is currently devoid of a review which encompasses the use of AFP as a biomarker in the different types of IDDs. In order to update and increase present knowledge regarding an AFP-IDD relationship, the present review surveys and addresses the presence of AFP serum levels in patients with IDDs such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), adenosine deaminase deficiency (ADD), and in pregnant women infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).