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Biomedical subjects

M A Lorier

Publications and source records attributed to M A Lorier.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

A simple silver-staining technique for detecting Bence Jones proteins in unconcentrated urine.

Detection of Bence Jones proteins in urine usually involves a concentration step, followed by electrophoresis and, if necessary, immunofixation. The time-consuming and expensive concentration step can be eliminated by use of the silver-stain technique described here. This procedure, routinely used for staining unconcentrated urine, is inexpensive, sensitive, and easily performed in a clinical laboratory. Bence Jones proteins can be detected in concentrations as low as 5 mg/L.

Bence Jones Protein↗

A case of partial deficiency of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin.

A 20-year-old woman, admitted to a neurological ward with a diagnosis of benign intracranial hypertension, was found on specific protein electroimmunoassay to have a consistently decreased concentration of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin in her plasma. Serum from her father showed the same result. Further investigation of her family demonstrated that this partial deficiency was transmitted in an autosomal dominant fashion and was not associated with any obvious specific clinical abnormalities.

Adult↗

An evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal banding confirmed by immunofixation on agarose gel.

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 115 consecutive patients undergoing diagnostic lumbar puncture or myelography was examined to determine the usefulness of immunofixation, following agarose gel electrophoresis, in the detection of oligoclonal IgG. All electrophoretic patterns were evaluated with and without immunofixation, and the interpretation of 9% of specimens was altered by immunofixation. The demonstration of oligoclonal IgG was shown to be more reliable in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis than other indices of intrathecal synthesis of IgG. It is concluded that immunofixation should be used routinely when examining CSF for oligoclonal banding.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

alpha 1-Antitrypsin microheterogeneity. Isolation and physiological significance of isoforms.

alpha 1-Antitrypsin has a microheterogeneity evident on isoelectric focusing as three major and several minor bands. We have identified the carbohydrate structures of the major bands; band 6 (isoform I) has three bi-antennary sidechains, band 4 (isoform II) has two bi- and one tri-antennary and band 2 (isoform III) has one bi- and two tri-antennary sidechains. The identity of the isoforms with the bands permitted their measurement in plasma by photometric scanning of the electrofocused gels. In healthy controls the levels of isoforms I, II and III were relatively constant and in the proportions of 5, 4 and 1, respectively. A marked change occurred during inflammation and oestrogen stress with isoforms II and III accounting for most of the increase in alpha 1-antitrypsin. One possible consequence of the changed proportions was shown to be the increased catabolism of the partially desialylated tri-antennary isoforms compared to that of the predominant bi-antennary form of the healthy individual.

Animals↗

Immunocytoma, cancer and other associations of monoclonal gammopathy: a review of 224 cases.

The clinical, haematological and biochemical correlations of 224 consecutive unselected examples of monoclonal gammopathy have been studied. The paraprotein frequency detedted was IgG 62 percent, IgA 15.2 percent, IgM 10.3 percent, Bence Jones protein 8.9 percent and in 3.6 percent the paraproteins were not identified. In half the monoclonal gammopathy was associated with an immunocytoma (myeloma in 82 and lymphoma in 30). In three cases the associated clinical disease was amyloidosis. In 36 cases (16.1 percent) the associated clincial disease was a nonlymphoproliferative malignant tumour. Monoclonal gammopathy may be a significant marker of malignancy in such cases. In 73 cases (32.6 percent) the associated clinical conditions were unrelated to the gammopathy although only 55 of these cases were sufficiently investigated to warrant classification as examples of benign monoclonal gammopathy. There was a strong correlation between Bence Jones proteinuria and malignancy. Sixty-five patients demonstrated Bence Jones proteinuria and in 59 of these a malignancy was detected. The association was strong between hypercalcaemia and malignancy as this was present in all 27 of the cases who had hypercalcaemia. The relationship between Bence Jones proteinuria and hypercalcaemia was also strong and Bence Jones proteinuria was detected in 73 percent of the hypercalcaemic patients as opposed to 36.7 percent in the whole series. Hypercalcaemia and Bence Jones proteinuria, when found in a patient with monoclonal gammopathy have a grave clinical connotation.

Adult↗