Characterization of Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance by Calorimetric Analysis of Blood Serum Proteome

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120316
• Publication Date: 2015-03-20T19:05:41Z
• Authors: Francisca Barceló; Joan J. Cerdà; Antonio Gutiérrez; Teresa Jimenez-Marco; M. Antonia Durán; Andrés Novo; Teresa Ros; Antonia Sampol; José Portugal
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Proteomics; Proteome; Science; Anciano; Rastreo Diferencial de Calorimetría; Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance; Diagnosis, Differential; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Gammopatía Monoclonal de Relevancia Indeterminada; Humans; Masculino; Proteoma; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Persona de Mediana Edad; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; Adulto; Q; R; Femenino; Estudios de Casos y Controles; Adulto Joven; Blood Proteins; Middle Aged; Anciano de 80 o más Años; Humanos; 3. Good health; Diagnóstico Diferencial; Proteómica; Proteínas Sanguíneas; Case-Control Studies; Medicine; Female; Research Article

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a premalignant proliferative disorder that may progress to multiple myeloma, a malignant plasma cell neoplasia. We evaluated differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as an experimental tool for differentiating serum samples of MGUS patients from healthy individuals. DSC thermograms can be used for monitoring changes in the serum proteome associated with MGUS. MGUS patients showed great variability in serum thermogram characteristics, which depended on the IgG, IgA or IgM isotypes and/or the κ or λ light chains. Thermogram feature parameters distinguished patients with MGUS from healthy people. Serum samples, named as non-MGUS, were also collected from patients with subjacent immunological pathologies who were discarded of having MGUS through serum immunofixation. They were used to verify the sensitivity of DSC for discriminating MGUS from related blood dyscrasias. Only some DSC thermogram feature parameters differentiated, to a lesser extent, between MGUS and non-MGUS individuals. We contemplate DSC as a tool for early diagnosis and monitoring of MGUS.