Treatments & Therapies

Immune Electrophoresis – Treatment, Effect & Risks |

Immunelektrophorese

Immune electrophoresis is used for laboratory diagnostic detection of monoclonal antibodies in a patient ‘s blood . Monoclonal antibodies are derived from the same cell and are directed against the same antigens . For this reason, they are to be evaluated as pathological and, if proven, indicate diseases such as Waldenstrom’s disease .

What is immunoelectrophoresis?

Ions have different mobility. This difference in mobility forms the basis of electropheresis procedures. These methods separate different substances from each other using electric fields and gravity. A well-known procedure in this area is immunoelectropheresis.

This is a qualitative diagnostic method used to detect monoclonal antibodies. Antibodies are immunologically active protein substances of a specific cell line. Monoclonal antibodies are all derived from the same B lymphocytes and are therefore directed against a single epitope. Every natural immune response against invading antigens corresponds to a polyclonal response and is thus directed against different epitopes. A monoclonal immune response therefore gives indications of pathological body processes.

Monoclonal antibodies bind different molecules with high specificity. This binding can be demonstrated by means of immunoelectrophoresis. The procedure is a qualitative procedure of laboratory diagnostics and consists of the two types of procedure, serum electrophoresis and immune diffusion.

Function, effect & goals

Immunoelectrophoresis combines the methodology of serum electrophoresis with immunodiffusion. The patient’s serum is placed on an agarose gel or cellulose acetate sheet. A control serum is also applied. The application is followed by an electrophoretic separation of the samples. Antisera, IgG, IgA, IgM, acetic acid for normal electrophoresis and kappa and lambda are applied between the dividing lines.This reacts with the antibodies in the patient’s serum, producing lines of precipitation. Depending on the antiserum used and the position and shape of the individual lines, conclusions can be drawn as to whether they contain immunoglobulins with kappa or lambda light chains. A lambda band has free light chains from antibodies. The laboratory provides additional evidence of the rare IgE and IgD, which allows an exact determination of the immunoglobulins. A method of immunodiffusion electrophoresis takes place according to Pierre Grabar and Curtis Williams and corresponds to a combination of agarose gel electrophoresis of proteins and antibody diffusion.

First, the agarose gel electrophoresis takes place. The contained antibodies then diffuse against the bands of antigens and thereby form precipitate arcs. This must be distinguished from the rocket immunoelectrophoresis according to Laurell, which corresponds to an electrophoresis of proteins within an agarose gel, each of which has antibodies in a specific concentration. There is a slightly basic buffer in the gel that allows only the antigens to migrate and, by exposure to the slightly basic pH, drives most antibodies to the isoelectric point until they stop moving electrophoretically.

At the beginning of a rocket immunoelectrophoresis there is an excess of antigen, so that soluble antigen-antibody complexes form. During electrophoresis, there is also binding between antigens and other antibodies. In this way, at the equivalence point, immunoprecipitates are formed that resemble rocket-like figures with height proportional to antigen concentration. The height of the precipitate is measured to evaluate the test.

Risks, side effects & dangers

The detection of monoclonal antibodies is of particular importance for the diagnosis of multiple myeloma and Waldenstrom’s disease. The evidence provided speaks for a malignant degeneration of immune cells. Multiple myeloma is a bone marrow cancer characterized by the malignant proliferation of antibody-producing cells in the plasma.

These plasma cells produce antibodies and their fragments. Malignant plasma cells always originate from a common progenitor cell and are therefore genetically identical. They only produce monoclonal antibodies. The malignancy of this disease can correspond to a precancerous stage, but it can also reach a highly malignant stage which, if left untreated, can quickly become fatal. Disease symptoms result from the malignant growth of the cells or from the antibodies and antibody fragments. The most common symptoms include bone pain , bone dissolution and spontaneous fractures .

Calcium levels in the blood are often elevated. In addition, the abnormal antibodies often accumulate in tissues and cause organ dysfunction, which can lead to symptoms such as kidney failure or impaired blood circulation . Waldstrom’s disease is also a malignant tumor disease . More specifically, it is a malignant lymphoma that is classified as a slowly progressing and almost asymptomatic B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In most cases, abnormal production of monoclonal IgM can be detected in the disease, which can be traced back to activities of the malignant lymphoma cells.

Waldenstrom’s disease is extremely similar to multiple myeloma in its characteristics, but usually shows a more favorable course. Most patients with Waldenstrom’s disease are largely asymptomatic until diagnosis. Other patients show early symptoms such as non-specific fatigue or peripheral neuropathies caused by monoclonal IgM deposition within the myelin sheath. Even small amounts of IgM can trigger polyneuropathy . Polyneuropathy does not occur in other patients even at high levels. In addition, non-specific symptoms such as fever , unwanted weight loss or night sweats can occur. AlsoBone pain is characteristic.

Due to the overproduction of IgM, the blood becomes hyperviscous, so that the symptoms mentioned can be associated with those of hyperviscosity syndrome. In most cases, this tendency to bleed manifests itself in frequent nosebleeds , headaches , general malaise or blurred vision and auditory complaints. In order to detect malignant diseases of this type, immunoelectropheresis has long since become a standard diagnostic procedure.

Lisa Newlon
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Hello! I am Lisa Newlon, and I am a medical writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry. I have a Master’s degree in Medicine, and my deep understanding of medical terminology, practices, and procedures has made me a trusted source of information in the medical world.