SEQUENTIAL-CHANGES IN OLIGOCLONAL PATTERNS DURING THE COURSE OF MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS

Abstract
The majority of patients with multiple sclerosis have an abnormality of CSF Ig. This alteration is manifested as patterns of diffuse protein bands in the .gamma.-globulin region following electrophoresis. This pattern was termed one of restricted heterogeneity or an oligoclonal pattern. Changes in the banding pattern of some patients studied longitudinally were found. Since the significance of these findings may be relevant to the pathogenesis of this notoriously waxing and waning disease, the importance of methodologies as well as the concept that IgM and IgA may be relevant to the interpretation of those observations is discussed.