Comparison between a second generation automated multicapillary electrophoresis system with an automated agarose gel electrophoresis system for the detection of M-components

• During the last decade, capillary electrophoresis (CE) has emerged as an interesting alternative to traditional analysis of serum, plasma and urine proteins by agarose gel electrophoresis. Initially there was a considerable difference in resolution between the two methods but the quality of CE has improved significantly. We thus wanted to evaluate a second generation of automated multicapillary instruments (Capillarys, Sebia, Paris, France) and the high resolution (HR) buffer for serum or plasma protein analysis with an automated agarose gel electrophoresis system for the detection of M-components. The comparison between the two systems was performed with patients samples with and without M-components. The comparison included 76 serum samples with M-components > 1 g/L. There was a total agreement between the two methods for detection of these M-components. When studying samples containing oligoclonal bands/small M-components, there were differences between the two systems. The capillary electrophoresis system detected a slightly higher number of samples with oligoclonal bands but the two systems found oligoclonal bands in different samples. When looking at resolution, the agarose gel electrophoresis system yielded a slightly better resolution in the alpha and beta regions, but it required an experienced interpreter to be able to benefit from the increased resolution. The capillary electrophoresis has shorter turn-around times and bar-code reader that allows positive sample identification. The Capillarys in combination with HR buffer gives better resolution of the alpha and beta regions than the same instrument with the beta1-beta2+ buffer or the Paragon CZE2000 (Beckman) which was the first generation of capillary electrophoresis systems.

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