[2-dimensional electrophoresis of cerebrospinal fluid in various neurological patients]

At present two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis is the best method of resolution for separating complex protein mixtures, and this method has been successfully adapted for resolving CSF proteins. CSF from over 200 patients with a wide spectrum of neurological diseases were analyzed by 2D electrophoresis in addition to agarose electrophoresis. After a 2D run several hundred fractions of proteins were obtained. By perfecting this method the authors have succeeded in demonstrating oligoclonal zone patterns not previously described in the light chain region of the immunoglobulins in CSF samples. All patients with definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), and also other diseases such as neurolues, myelitis, herpes zoster, etc. showed particular oligoclonal zone patterns. This experience indicates that the detection of oligoclonal zones in the region of the Ig-light chain is of major diagnostic significance. Moreover, the region of the so-called "CSF-specific" proteins deserves special attention.