A practical method for haptoglobin subtyping is described utilizing fast sample preparation by means of batch adsorption to DEAE-cellulose and subsequent isoelectric focusing of reductively cleaved samples. The expanded haptoglobin polymorphism leads to an increase of the theoretical paternity exclusion rate to approximately 33%. Hence, the system appears to be highly attractive for paternity assessment.

Sera were obtained from 1,275 blood donors in Berlin, probands involved in paternity tests, and from 119 families with 235 children; the sera were subtyped by isoelectric focusing, following preparation and reductive molecular cleavage of haptoglobin. In this paper, an uninvolved preparation technique is described for routine testing. Allelic frequencies are: Hp *1F = 0.1471; *1S = 0.2502; *2FF = 0.0020; *2FS = 0.5753; *2SS = 0.0251. Only one deviation from autosomal codominant inheritance was recorded in the family examinations, with illegitimacy considered possible. In the region of Berlin, the changes of ruling out uninvolved individuals in paternity suits have gone up from 18% (conventional technique recording two frequent alleles) to 33% (subtyping).

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