Capillary immunotyping electrophoresis and high resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis for the detection of mu-heavy chain disease.
Heavy chain disease with monoclonal incomplete mu-heavy chains (mu-HCD) is a rare disorder usually associated with an underlying lymphoproliferative malignancy. Laboratory diagnosis of patients with mu-HCD is usually challenging and the monoclonal protein is not detected by electrophoresis in up to 75% of mu-HCD cases. We describe a patient with multiple malignancies in whom we detected and characterized monoclonal mu-heavy chains using immunofixation electrophoresis, capillary zone electrophoresis with immunotyping, and high resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis. The high resolution 2D electrophoresis enabled us to determine the molecular weight of the mu-heavy chains. The abnormal protein concentration in the serum was unusually high, 38 g/l measured in our patient is the highest reported value in the literature so far.
Maisnar
V
V
2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Haematology, Charles University Hospital, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. maisnar@seznam.cz
Tichy
M
M
Stulik
J
J
Urban
P
P
Adam
Z
Z
Kadlckova
E
E
Vavrova
J
J
Palicka
V
V
Jebavy
L
L
Kodet
R
R
Buchler
T
T
Hajek
R
R
D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000379:methods*; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000032:analysis*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged
D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains