title: Altered immunoglobulin concentrations and light chain ratios in juvenile onset mixed connective tissue disease.
abstract: Immunological disturbances may result in altered immunoglobulin concentrations and kappa/lambda light chain (kappa/lambda) ratios. We measured the kappa/lambda ratios of total serum immunoglobulins and of polyclonal IgG, A, and M separately as well as concentrations of these immunoglobulins in fourteen patients with juvenile onset mixed connective tissue disease. When comparing the patient group with a reference group the mean serum IgG and IgA concentrations were respectively 2.98 G/L (p = 0.0012) and 0.79 G/L (p = 0.0114) higher in the group of patients with juvenile onset mixed connective tissue disease. The mean IgM concentration was 0.39 G/L (p = 0.0002) lower. The mean kappa/lambda ratios of total serum immunoglobulins, serum IgG, and serum IgA were respectively 0.20 (p = 0.0226), 0.28 (p = 0.0016) and 0.10 (p = 0.0732), higher in the group of patients with mixed connective tissue disease as compared with the reference group. Mean serum IgM kappa/lambda ratio, however, was 0.21 (p = 0.0046) lower. The alterations of the serum immunoglobulin concentrations and of the kappa/lambda ratios reflect immunological disturbances in patients with juvenile onset mixed connective tissue disease. The increased concentration of serum IgG and raised IgG kappa/lambda ratio and decreased concentration of serum IgM with decreased IgM kappa/lambda ratio indicate that the synthesis of kappa-bearing immunoglobulins mainly is affected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Nijmegen.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haraldsson
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Tiddens
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fiselier
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bakkeren
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Weemaes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000032:analysis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007136:Immunoglobulins