Serum Immunoglobulin Free Light Chain Assessment in IgG4-Related Disease.

Abstract

Immunoglobulin free light chains are produced in excess during normal antibody synthesis. Their evaluation is commonly used in case of a monoclonal gammopathy. In polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia related to the Sjögren syndrome or systemic lupus, erythematosus serum free light chain levels are increased and could correlate with disease activity. We show here that the κ (P < 0.0001) and λ (P = 0.0003) free light chains and the κ  :  λ ratio (P = 0.0049) are increased in sixteen patients with IgG4-related disease when compared to healthy controls. The increase of κ and λ free light chains probably reflects the marked polyclonal B cell activation of the disease. We could not assess in this small cohort of patients a significative correlation of serum free light chain levels and disease activity or extension.

• Authors: Aurélie Grados, Mikael Ebbo, José Boucraut, Frédéric Vély, Pierre Aucouturier, Aude Rigolet, Benjamin Terrier, David Saadoun, Pascale Ghillani-Dalbin, Nathalie Costedoat-Chalumeau, Jean Robert Harlé, Nicolas Schleinitz
• Journal: International journal of rheumatology (Int J Rheumatol) Vol. 2013 Pg. 426759 ( 2013) ISSN: 1687-9260 [Print] United States
• PMID: 23878543 (Publication Type: Journal Article)