Oligoclonal IgG in tears

We examined tears from patients with MS and systemic or eye diseases, and normal controls. Tears were isoelectrofocused on agarose gel, silver-stained, and immunofixated for IgG. In the cathodal portion of the gel (pH greater than or equal to 8.3), oligoclonal bands were detected in 14 of 21 (67%) MS tear samples. In most cases, these bands were not present in serum. Only 1 of 26 non-MS subjects showed two faint IgG tear bands, which were strongly present in serum. It appears that oligoclonal IgG bands can be detected in tears as well as in CSF of MS patients.