Monoclonal gammopathy in a 30 weeks old premature infant.
The occurrence of monoclonal gammopathy in childhood is extremely rare. This report describes the presence of a monoclonal immunoglobulin in a 30 week old premature infant, incidentally discovered by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) during an ongoing study of the plasma/serum protein development. Comparative analysis of the electrophoretogram of the infant with 'reference' protein maps revealed the presence of an 'abnormal' immunoglobulin light chain spot. A spot having an identical apparent molecular weight and isoelectric point was also detected after 2D-PAGE of the mother's plasma and its Protein-A purified immunoglobulin fraction. The observation of a monoclonal gammopathy in a premature infant, most likely transmitted from his mother, highlights the potential usefulness of 2D-PAGE in the clinical laboratory.
Tissot
J D
JD
Centre de Transfusion Sanguine CRS, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Schneider
P
P
Hohlfeld
P
P
Tolsa
J F
JF
Calame
A
A
Hochstrasser
D F
DF
D001797:Blood Protein Electrophoresis; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000097:blood*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000097:blood; D010266:Paraproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000097:blood*
D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains; D010266:Paraproteins