Analytical characterization of the urinary proteins from sixty patients with monoclonal gammopathies

The urinary proteins from 60 patients with monoclonal gammopathies were characterized by the combination of conventional cellulose acetate electrophoresis, sodium dodecyl sulphate—polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and immunoelectrophoresis. Bence—Jones proteinuria was found in 60% of the patients. Non-specific proteinuria was found in 23 of the 37 patients with Bence—Jones proteinuria, and in 9 patients who did not eliminate monoclonal free light chains in their urines. In most patients this non-specific proteinuria followed a pattern suggestive of predominantly glomerular compromise. κ-chains were eliminated predominantly in the monomeric form, while λ-chains were found to exist mainly as dimers. In two patients the monomer:dimer ratio changed during observation perhaps as a manifestation of “escape” of the neoplastic clone from treatment.