LOW-FREQUENCY OF PIM3 GENE IN PATIENTS WITH MONOCLONAL GAMMOPATHIES

The distribution of PI (protease inhibitor) phenotypes and PI M subtyp es was studied in 200 patients with monoclonal gammopathies and 320 he althy blood donors by isoelectric focusing in thin-layer polyacrylamid e gels, pH range 4-5. The distribution of PI phenotypes and gene frequ encies in the patients differed significantly from the corresponding v alues found in the blood donors, as shown by the chi(2) test (chi(2) = 16.5, p = 0.02 and chi(2) = 17.6, p = 0.0014, respectively). A lower frequency of the M3 variant was observed in patients, both in homozygo us (PI M3) and heterozygous forms (PI M1M3 and PI M2M3). No significan t difference between PIz allele frequencies in patients and healthy co ntrols was found.