Urinary excretion of immunoglobulins and their subunits in human subjects before and after exercise

Immunoglobulins and their subunits in urines collected before and after exercise from healthy human subjects were studied. Quantitative analysis showed that only gamma A- and gamma G-immunoglobulins were excreted as whole molecules in normal urine, at a concentration of 0.35 and 1.70 micrograms/min., respectively. Exercise enhanced the excretion of both types of molecules. In some cases, gamma D-immunoglobulins were found in "exercise urine." Gel filtration on Sephadex G-150 showed that only gamma G-subunits were present in normal and in "exercise urine." The distribution of gamma G-subunits was not affected by exercise. The authors consider the importance of the present data in relation to renal physiology.