Microheterogeneity of CSF alpha 2-macroglobulin in multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases. A study performed by direct immunofixation after isoelectric focusing.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) and serum alpha 2-Macroglobulin (alpha 2M) was studied in patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases (OND) using Isoelectric Focusing followed by direct immunofixation. In the serum a simple broad band has always been observed; inside it several more stained subfractions were sometimes detected. In 74.3% of MS patients and in 65.7% of OND patients the CSF alpha 2-M was divided in two major bands. One corresponded to that observed in serum and the other was more anodal. The significance of this finding is discussed.