title: Increased free light chains in the urine from patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: We quantitated free kappa (kappa) and lambda light (L) chains in coded urine specimens from subjects with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) (N = 56), other neurologic diseases (OND) (N = 30), and age-matched normal controls (N = 28). Urine from MS patients showed statistically significant increases in free L chains compared with the other groups, although there was overlap between MS patients and OND patients. The ratio of kappa/creatinine was significantly greater in the relapsing-remitting MS group than in patients with clinically stable MS, OND, and normal controls. Elevated free L chains were usually independent of urinary albumin and beta 2-microglobulin levels. Serial studies showed that urinary free kappa/creatinine ratios were elevated during periods of clinical worsening in seven of eight MS patients and subsequently decreased during clinical recovery. The measurement of free L chains in urine obtained at intervals from MS patients may be useful as a marker to monitor disease activity.
authors.affiliation: New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY 10314.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Troiano
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Coyle
mesh_terms: D000419:Albuminuria; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000652:urine*; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000652:urine; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000652:urine; D012016:Reference Values; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D003404:Creatinine