Measles antibodies, anti-proteinase and plasminogen distribution in serum and plasma from patients affected with multiple sclerosis and patients affected with non-neurological diseases.

Abstract

Total protein content, alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 2-macroglobulin and plasminogen levels and measles antibody titers were determined in serum and plasma from patients affected with multiple sclerosis and patients affected with non-neurological diseases. The results were compared with those from a control group of healthy donors. Both multiple sclerosis patients and patients affected with non-neurological diseases differed from controls for the following parameters: total protein, plasminogen and measles antibody activity. However, when studied longitudinally the different parameters were not altered to the same degree in multiple sclerosis and non-neurological diseases, a fact which is translated in the difference of significance levels. Individual plasminogen values were very often higher in non-neurological diseases than in multiple sclerosis, whereas for increased measles antibody titers it was the reverse. Also, there were no notable changes in alpha 1-antitrypsin and alpha 2-macroglobulin values in multiple sclerosis, whereas in some non-neurological disease patients particularly high alpha 1-antitrypsin and alpha 2-macroglobulin values were observed. In the multiple sclerosis patients, no correlations existed between the duration of the disease and disturbed biochemical parameters, or between the disturbed parameters themselves.