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Free light chains (FLCs) are immunoglobulin light chains that are found in the serum (blood) in an unbound (free) state. In recent decades, measuring the amount of free light chains (FLCs) in the blood has become a practical clinical test. FLC tests can be used to diagnose and monitor diseases like multiple myeloma and amyloidosis.
Once set, light chain class remains fixed for the life of the B lymphocyte. In a healthy individual, the total kappa-to-lambda ratio is roughly 2:1 in serum (measuring intact whole antibodies) or 1:1.5 if measuring free light chains, with a highly divergent ratio indicative of neoplasm. The free light chain ratio ranges from 0.26 to 1.65. [1]
[70] [79] These biomarkers are >60% clonal plasma cells, a serum involved / uninvolved free light chain ratio ≥ 100 (the concentration of the involved free light chain must be ≥ 100 mg/L) and more than one focal lesion ≥ 5 mm by MRI. [70] [79] Together, these biomarkers and the CRAB criteria are known as myeloma-defining events (MDEs).
Serum protein electrophoresis showing a paraprotein (spike/peak in the gamma zone) in a patient with multiple myeloma.. A myeloma protein is an abnormal antibody (immunoglobulin) or (more often) a fragment thereof, such as an immunoglobulin light chain, that is produced in excess by an abnormal monoclonal proliferation of plasma cells, typically in multiple myeloma or Monoclonal gammopathy of ...
High-resolution electrophoresis and serum and urine immunofixation are recommended to help identify and characterize the monoclonal IgM paraprotein. The light chain of the monoclonal protein is usually the kappa light chain. At times, patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia may exhibit more than one M protein. Plasma viscosity must be ...
In ~90% of BL cases, MYC is translocated to the IGH (i.e. Immunoglobulin heavy chain) gene locus at position 14q32, the IGK (i.e. immunoglobulin kappa light chain) gene at position 2p12 ("p" stands for short chromosome arm), or the IGL (i.e. immunoglobulin lambda light chain) gene at position 22q11.
The panel simultaneously tests 4 patients (one in each quadrant). Each patient has 6 electrophoresis panels: The left one is a conventional serum protein electrophoresis. The remainder get solutions with anti-IgG, anti-IgA, anti-IgM, anti-kappa light chain and anti-lambda light chain immunoglobulin, respectively from left to right.
More recently, serum free light chain assays have been utilised in a number of published studies which have indicated superiority over the urine tests, particularly for patients producing low levels of monoclonal free light chains, as seen in nonsecretory multiple myeloma [5] [6] [7] and amyloid light chain amyloidosis (AL amyloidosis). [7] [8 ...