Paraprotein

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A paraprotein is an abnormal protein in the urine or blood, most often associated with benign MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance), where they remain "silent",[1] and multiple myeloma. An excess in the blood is known as paraproteinemia.

These are immunoglobulins or immunoglobulin light-chains that are produced by the clonal proliferation of plasma cells. Paraproteins form a narrow band, or 'spike' in protein electrophoresis as they are all exactly the same protein.

Monoclonal free light chains in the serum or urine are called Bence Jones proteins.

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[edit] History

The concept and term were introduced by the Berlin pathologist Dr Kurt Apitz in 1940,[2] at that time the Oberarzt of the pathological institute at the Charité hospital.[3]

Paraproteins allowed the detailed study of immunoglobulins, which eventually led to the production of monoclonal antibodies in 1975.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Maniatis A (1998). "Pathophysiology of paraprotein production.". Ren Fail 20 (6): 821-8. PMID 9834980. 
  2. ^ Apitz K. Die Paraproteinosen. Über die Störungen des Eiweißstoffwechsels bei Plasmozytomen. Virchows Arch Pathol Anat 1940;306:630-699.
  3. ^ McDevitt HO. Albert Hewett Coons. In: "Biographical Memoirs", National Academy of Sciences 1996;69:26-37. ISBN 0-309-05346-3. Fulltext.

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[edit] See also

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