PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF SERUM-PROTEIN CAPILLARY-ZONE-ELECTROPHORESIS ANDIMMUNOTYPING OF MONOCLONAL PROTEINS BY IMMUNOSUBTRACTION

Capillary zone electrophoresis and immune adsorption were evaluated fo r identification of serum protein abnormalities and immunotyping of mo noclonal proteins. A 7-capillary electrophoresis instrument and solid phase immunosubtraction reagents were used in a prospective study of 1 ,518 patients. Serum protein electrophoresis was performed by agarose gel electrophoresis and capillary electrophoresis and interpreted with regard to identification of abnormalities consistent with monoclonal gammopathies. The agarose gel electrophoresis had a sensitivity and sp ecificity of 91% and 99%, respectively, whereas capillary electrophore sis gave results of 95% and 99%. Immunotyping of the monoclonal protei ns was performed by immunofixation and immunosubtraction. Capillary el ectrophoresis was more sensitive than agarose gel electrophoresis for the identification of monoclonal proteins in serum. In addition, the i mmunosubtraction method seems technically simpler and more automated t han immunofixation and represents a useful additional approach for imm unotyping monoclonal proteins.