A comparison of several immunochemical approaches for the screening of alpha chain disease

Immunoelectrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis immunoselection, and rocket immunoselection techniques are used to demonstrate the presence of alpha heavy chain disease proteins in four patients' sera. Immunoelectrophoresis by itself cannot be used to detect the presence of alpha heavy chain disease proteins owing to the failure of some lambda light-chain antisera to react with IgA proteins. However utilization of a mixture of antisera to IgA and kappa or lambda determinants in immunoelectrophoresis can aid in the detection. Rocket immunoselection and immunoelectrophoresis immunoselection when used together provide the most compelling evidence in the immunochemical detection of alpha heavy chain disease proteins. Such techniques provides sufficient evidence to warrant the more complex reduction and alkylation methodologies necessary to establish a firm diagnosis of alpha heavy chain disease.