title: Determination of k/l immunoglobulin light chain ratios in CSF from patients with multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases.
abstract: Using antisera against Bence-Jones protein, the concentration of light chains type k and l can be determined in CSF. The calculation of the ratio of type k to type I light chains in CSF represents a sensitive measure for the evaluation of immunological processes involving the CNS. Our results demonstrate that an increase k/l ratio is encountered in 48% of CSF specimen from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, but also in 50% from patients with other inflammatory diseases involving the CNS, in contrast to only 18% from other neurological diseases. In none of the MS or inflammatory cases is the altered k/l ratio the only indicator of a CNS inflammation, most commonly it is accompanied by an overproportional CSF-IgG elevation (increased QG ratio), an increased cell count or both. For these reasons determination of CSF k/l ratios is helpful in the differentiation of MS and other neurological diseases, but not for the differentiation of other inflammatory CNS diseases from MS.
mesh_terms: D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains