Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Understanding protein tests in dogs and cats - what to know
By Moore, A Russell & Avery, Paul R·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2019·Department of Microbiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Protein characterization using electrophoresis and immunofixation; a case-based review of dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
This paper looks at how certain laboratory tests can help veterinarians understand protein levels in the blood and urine of dogs and cats. It explains different techniques, like gel electrophoresis, which separates proteins for analysis, and immunofixation, which helps identify specific types of proteins. The authors also discuss how to ensure these tests are done correctly and consistently, following best practices. They review common patterns seen in test results that can indicate various health issues, such as abnormal protein levels that might suggest diseases. Overall, the paper emphasizes the importance of these tests in diagnosing and monitoring conditions in pets.
Abstract
Protein electrophoresis and immunotyping can be a useful adjunct to the standard biochemical techniques for characterizing serum and urine proteins. This paper reviews currently available and commonly used methods for diagnostic protein electrophoresis, including both agarose gel and capillary zone electrophoretic techniques and total protein assessments. Immunofixation and immunosubtraction methods for identification of immunoglobulin location and class are also presented. Practical application of quality assurance and quality control strategies in compliance with American Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP) best practices are discussed. Commonly encountered serum and urine electrophoretic diagnostic patterns, including electrophoretically normal, acute-phase protein responses, polyclonal gammopathies, restricted polyclonal/oligoclonal gammopathies, paraproteinemias (monoclonal or biclonal gammopathies), and Bence-Jones proteinurias are also reviewed using relevant case material. Cases in which immunofixation electrophoresis are particularly useful are highlighted, and methodologies to more accurately quantify serum monoclonal proteins (M-proteins), monitoring tests commonly used in human medicine, are discussed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31270837/