The Serum Level and Urinary Excretion of α₂-Microglobulin, β₂-Microglobulin and Lysozyme in Renal Disease

Abstract

The occurrence of three low molecular weight proteins, α₂-microglobulin,β₂-microglobulin, and lyso-zyme in blood and urine has been studied with immuno-chemical methods in 25 healthy persons and 79 patients with different renal diseases at all levels of renal function. A negative correlation between creatinine clearance and the urinary excretion of all three proteins was found. The excretion in severe uremia was found to exceed the excretion, reported by other authors, in renal tubular disease. An increased excretion of LMW protein in the presence of a normal creatinine clearance was only found in cases of nephrotic syndrome. The possibility of a two-way uptake of low molecular weight protein into the proximal tubules is suggested.