Immunochemical and ultrastructural study of multiple myeloma with a heavy chain protein in the serum.
A patient with multiple myeloma had antigenically related monoclonal Fc-gamma fragments and complete IgG-kappa molecules in the serum. The urine contained only Fc-gamma fragments in the absence of Bence-Jones protein. The two distinct M-components in the serum showed electrophoretic identity but could be separated by chromatography. The simultaneous presence of complete monoclonal IgG molecules and Fc-gamma fragments, though difficult to detect, could be a frequent occurrence in multiple myeloma, and it could be defined as 'double paraproteinaemia'. A detailed ultrastructural study was performed in this case and showed fibril bundles being released from the malignant plasma cells; such fibrils could be the supramolecular organisation of the neosynthesised heavy chain fragments.
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006362:Heavy Chain Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains / Q000032:analysis; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000032:analysis; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure
D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains