High resolution protein electrophoresis of equine cerebrospinal fluid.

OBJECTIVE: To determine normal CSF electrophoresis patterns in horses, and to determine whether the electrophoretic scans from horses with cervical compression differ from those of neurologically normal horses. ANIMALS: 32 horses assigned to 1 of 2 groups: neurologically normal (n = 18) or cervical compression (n = 14). PROCEDURE: CSF was collected from 18 neurologically normal horses referred to the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, and protein electrophoresis was performed to describe the normal equine CSF electrophoretogram. Results of CSF electrophoresis from 14 horses with cervical compression were then compared with results for the neurologically normal horses. RESULTS: Horses with cervical compression had decreased beta-globulin fraction, and 1 or 2 prominent post-beta 2 peak(s). When the presence of post-beta peaks was used as a diagnostic criterion for cervical compression, the test had sensitivity of 71.4% and specificity of 81.8%. The positive and negative predictive values were 83.3 and 69.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Electrophoresis of CSF may be a useful diagnostic aid in evaluation of horses with neurologic disease.

[Ventriculo-lumbar gradient of concentration of total cerebrospinal fluid proteins: 1 - mechanisms of origin]. / Gradiente ventrículo-lombar de concentração das proteínas totais do líquido cefalorraquiano: 1 - Mecanismo de origem.

In normal conditions there is a concentration gradient of proteins along the neuraxis. From a low level in the ventricles, ranging from 5 to 15 mg/10C ml, to an intermediate level in the cisterna magna, the protein content reaches its highest level in the lumbar sac, 12 to 44 mg/100 ml. Several mechanisms were considered to elucidate the origin of this gradient but many investigators think that the progressive increase of the protein concentration is best explained by the transfer of proteins from serum to the cerebrospinal fluid due to the relatively raised permeability of blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier in the spinal subarachnoid space. This paper presents a study of the protein concentrations in cisternal and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid samples of patients with neurocysticercosis in activity. The 11 patients of the first group had free subarachnoid space communication between the cisterna magna and the lumbar sac; the 6 patients of the second group had a complete block of the subarachnoid space between these two levels. In every cerebrospinal fluid specimen the quantitative complement fixation test for cysticercus was performed and the titer determined in order to make an assessment of the central nervous system humoral immune response. The analysis of the data of this investigation shows that the concentration gradient of proteins is evident in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with patency of the spinal subarachnoid space, and the ratio of concentrations of protein contents in simultaneous cisternal and lumbar samples was similar to that one observed in normal individuals. This gradient is also detected when the intensity of the humoral immune response is determined by quantitative complement fixation test for cysticercus in simultaneous cisternal and lumbar specimens. After the onset of spinal subarachnoid block, the confront of the results of the tests in cerebrospinal fluid samples, obtained before and after the blockage, shows a large increase both in the total protein content as well as the intensity of the humoral immune response, in the lumbar level. The similar increases both in protein concentration and titer of cysticercus complement fixation test in the lumbar fluid, in comparison with the cisternal fluid, in patients with patent spinal subarachnoid space, and the large simultaneous and similar increases in both protein content and titer of the cysticercus complement fixation test in the lumbar fluid of patients with spinal subarachnoid block are in disagreement with the usual explanation of the origin mechanisms of the gradient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Cellulose acetate electrophoresis of cerebrospinal fluid: normal values]. / Eletroforese em acetato de celulose das proteínas do líquido cefalorraqueano; valores normais.

Determinating the total protein contents by the Meulemans method and using strips of celulose acetate "Cellogel" for electrophoresis the authors have studied the CSF of 19 patients between 10 and 54 years old. Total proteins was found between 10 and 28 mg%. The proteins were separated in six fractions with the following results: preé-albumin 4.3%; albumin 54.8%; alpha1-globulin 5.9%; alpha2 globulin 8.3%; beta-globulins 15.5% and delta-globulins 11.2%.

Hydrodynamic radii versus molecular weights in clearance studies of urine and cerebrospinal fluid.

The protein permeabilities of the blood-cerebrospinal-fluid barrier and the blood-urine barrier are compared. In both instances the permeation rates of proteins can be better correlated to hydrodynamic radii than to molecular weights. The decreasing clearance rates of ceruloplasmin, IgG, and IgA reflect the hydrodynamic heterogeneity of these proteins, which have similar weights. The IgM clearance rate appears too high, possibly owing to monomer IgM, other IgM fragments, selective transport, or active immunity, so its inclusion is not recommended in clearance studies.