Increased urinary free immunoglobulin light chain excretion in patients with multiple sclerosis.
BACKGROUND
Plasma and B cells are implicated in multiple sclerosis (MS) and produce free light chains (FLC) that are excreted in urine.


OBJECTIVE
To confirm that demyelinating diseases (DD) cause increased urinary FLCs.


METHODS
Urinary FLC in 50 patients with DD were compared to 20 patients with posterior uveitis (PU), 19 with AIDS, 34 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 19 normal controls (NC).


RESULTS
Subjects with DD, PU, RA and AIDS have higher urinary FLCs than NC (p<0.01). Urinary FLCs did not correlate with gadolinium-enhancing lesions on MRI.


CONCLUSIONS
Urinary FLCs are raised in DD. Further studies are required to see if they correlate with disease activity.
Dobson
Ruth
R
Neuroimmunology Unit, Queen Mary University of London, Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, 4 Newark Street, Whitechapel, London E1 2AT, United Kingdom. ruth.dobson@qmul.ac.uk
Miller
R F
RF
Palmer
H E
HE
Feldmann
M
M
Thompson
E J
EJ
Thompson
A J
AJ
Miller
D H
DH
Giovannoni
G
G
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine; D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine*; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D015866:Uveitis, Posterior / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine
D015415:Biomarkers; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007136:Immunoglobulins