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Macroprolactinemia Detection by Magnetically Assisted Polyethylene Glycol Precipitation: Potential for Automation
Thomas Smith1, Eric Stern2, Enqing Tan2
1Department of Endocrinology, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland.
The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine
|May 24, 2020
Summary
Magnetically Assisted PEG Precipitation (MAPP) offers a robust and reproducible method for detecting macroprolactin, an immunoglobulin-prolactin complex that interferes with prolactin immunoassays. This automated technique provides results comparable to traditional methods, improving diagnostic accuracy for hyperprolactinemia.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Chemistry
- Endocrinology
- Immunoassay Development
Background:
- Macroprolactin, an immunoglobulin-prolactin complex, causes interference in prolactin immunoassays, leading to misdiagnosis of hyperprolactinemia.
- Clinical mismanagement can arise from inaccurate hyperprolactinemia diagnoses due to macroprolactin interference.
- Current methods for macroprolactin detection, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation, are manual and not widely adopted.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel, automated method for macroprolactin detection.
- To improve the efficiency and accessibility of macroprolactin screening in clinical laboratories.
Main Methods:
- A modified PEG precipitation technique utilizing magnetic nanoparticles, termed Magnetically Assisted PEG Precipitation (MAPP), was developed.
- The MAPP procedure was validated against the established manual PEG precipitation method.
Main Results:
- The MAPP procedure demonstrated robustness and reproducibility.
- MAPP generated results comparable to conventional PEG precipitation for patients with true hyperprolactinemia or macroprolactinemia.
- The technique eliminates the need for centrifugation, enabling automation.
Conclusions:
- Magnetically Assisted PEG Precipitation (MAPP) is a reliable technique for macroprolactin screening.
- The potential for automation of MAPP can lead to wider adoption in clinical laboratories.
- This method can improve the accurate diagnosis and management of patients with hyperprolactinemia.
