Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing and agarose gel electrophoresis in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

Two dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), isoelectric focusing (IEF) and agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) were used to examine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and sera from 22 patients with confirmed multiple sclerosis, 11 patients with probable multiple sclerosis and 20 control patients with non-inflammatory neurological diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). All of the 22 patients with confirmed multiple sclerosis showed abnormal patterns of oligoclonal IgG in all three methods. In the CSF from patients with probable multiple sclerosis, oligoclonal IgG was detectable in 18 percent with AGE, in 72 percent with IEF and 90 percent with 2-DE. No oligoclonal IgG was observed in subjects with non-inflammatory neurological diseases. Many artefacts in IEF, which lead to misinterpretation, are eliminated in the 2-DE system. Based on our observations and this study in particular, it is evident that some patients have IgG changes which can be detected only by 2-DE. The application of research-oriented 2-DE for routine clinical purposes is still limited by its cost and technical complexity.