Subclass typing of IgG paraproteins by immunofixation electrophoresis

We present a simple method for subclass typing of IgG paraproteins, with which we have demonstrated a large number of paraproteins that were undetected by conventional immunofixation techniques. The types and distribution of IgG subclass paraproteins were analyzed in 92 human sera in which IgG paraproteins had been demonstrated. The IgG subclass paraproteins were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis rapidly and simply and then typed with the use of sheep anti-human monospecific IgG1-IgG4 antibodies. In 24 of the sera analyzed, IgG subclass typing revealed 25 additional monoclonal bands that were not detected by conventional immunofixation electrophoresis with anti-IgG antisera. Most of these belonged to a different subclass type. The overall subclass frequencies were 68% IgG1, 13% IgG2, 16% IgG3, and 3% IgG4. The distribution of paraprotein subclasses, however, was different in monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance in which more IgG3 was shown, whereas in non-Hodgkin lymphomas the number of IgG2 paraproteins was greater than expected; this finding may have diagnostic and prognostic significance.