RAPID CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORETIC ANALYSIS OF HUMAN SERUM-PROTEINS - QUALITATIVE COMPARISON WITH HIGH-THROUGHPUT AGAROSE-GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

This study details the qualitative results from a comparative evaluati on of agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and (CZE) as a screening proce dure for monoclonal proteins in serum. Three hundred and five serum sa mples were analyzed by the two techniques; samples suspected of contai ning monoclonal proteins based on abnormalities observed with AGE or C ZE were confirmed by immunoelectrophoresis and/or immunofixation. CZE separation conditions were simple (requiring only a bare silica capill ary and 150 mM borate buffer, pH 10.0) and separation was complete in under 120 s. The results obtained by CZE were comparable or better tha n those obtained with AGE. Samples displaying ''point-of-application'' artifacts on AGE were not problematic by CZE analysis; an abnormal pr ofile, due to the presence of a monoclonal protein, or a normal profil e were clearly observable. The rapid analysis, excellent reproducibili ty, automation and relatively high throughput (approximate to 90 sampl es per 8 h on a single instrument) sets the stage for CZE analysis of serum proteins to be used routinely in a clinical setting.