Immunoglobulin changes in disease: quantitation on the basis of heavy polypeptide chains, IgG (gammaG), IgA (gammaA), and IgM (gammaM), and of light polypeptide chains, type K (I) and type L (II).

Abstract

The immunoglobulins are made up of heavy and light polypeptide chains (1, 2). There are three major classes of immunoglobulin (gamma globulins) that are commonly identified in normal human serum: the IgG (yG-, or 7 S y2-globulin), the IgA (yA-, ylA-, or /32A-globulin), and the IgM (yM-, YlM-, 12M-, or 18 S -yi-macroglobulin)

Light Chain Distribution in Immune Deposits on Glomeruli of Kidneys in Human Renal Disease*

“…The kappa: lambda ratios obtained in this study are significantly higher than normal values previously reported, but are similar to those observed in similar diseases (2). The average serum kappa: lambda ratio for the group as a whole was 3.74.…”

“…The light chains are divided into two major antigenic types, Type-I or kappa and Type II or lambda. Circulating IgG contains types kappa and lambda in approximately a 2: 1 ratio (kappa: lambda) (1,2), and specific antibodies also contain both types in varying ratios (3).…”

Metabolic properties of IgG subclasses in man

“…Results of this study clearly show that the in vivo and in vitro labeled G3 are metabolized similarly ( Fig. 1) In IgG-myeloma patients the concentration of nonmyeloma IgG is usually decreased (20,21 (Fig. 2).…”

Role of the Thymus and Other Central Lymphoid Tissues in Immunological Disease

“…As the disease progres ses, patients with Hodgkin's disease may become lymphopenic and their circulating lymphocytes have been shown to respond poorly to stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (187)(188)(189). On the other hand, circulating immuno globulins are usua i ly normal and antibody responsiveness may be normal as well (190)(191)(192)(193)(194)(195)(196)(197)(198). However, primary antibody responses to certain antigens may be less vigorous than normal, a finding very similar to that of neonatally thymectomized animals.…”