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AUTORADIOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF PROTEINS SYNTHESIZED BY HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES
Author(s) -
FORBES I. J.,
LAWTON J. M. W.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
australasian annals of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0571-9283
DOI - 10.1111/imj.1969.18.1.12
Subject(s) - multiple myeloma , immunoelectrophoresis , antibody , macroglobulin , myeloma protein , abnormality , immunology , globulin , gamma globulin , biology , chemistry , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , psychiatry
SUMMARY The immunoglobulins synthesized by circulating lymphocytes were analysed in four cases of multiple myeloma and five cases of Waldenstrom's macroglobulimemia. No evidence was found of peripheral lymphocytes synthesizing myeloma globulin in multiple myeloma. The data suggested that excessive amounts of macroglobulin were made by lymphocytes in four of the five cases of macroglobulinæmia. Deficiencies in the synthesis of one or more immunoglobulins were seen in a number of these cases. It is therefore suggested that there are two types of abnormality in these conditions: firstly, synthesis of a particular immunoglobulin molecule by excessive numbers of cells, possibly malignant cells derived from a single mutant; secondly, a failure of recruitment of lymphocytes for the synthesis of normal immunoglobulins. The second abnormality may be explained by a failure of the mechanism of terminal immunological differentiation. Pitfalls in the interpretation of autoradiographs of immunoelectrophoresis patterns are discussed.