Free-moving-boundary electrophoresis1,2 has facilitated the study of serum protein in both normal and disease states.3 In most disease states the electrophoretic pattern is nonspecific.4 However, characteristic changes do exist in hemophilia,5 lupus erythematosus,6 hypogammaglobulinemia, nephrosis, and multiple myeloma.3 In primary familial systemic amyloidosis free-moving-boundary electrophoresis has revealed the presence of a subclinical serum protein aberration.7
It seemed possible that free-moving-boundary electrophoresis might detect a subclinical abnormality in the uninvolved members of a family in which clinical psoriasis was present. Since genetic factors are present in this disease,8,9 electrophoretic abnormalities were sought in such persons.
Methods
A family, consisting of a mother, five children, and one grandchild, was selected for this study (Figure). A fasting blood specimen was drawn from each subject. Free-moving-boundary electrophoresis was carried out in barbital (Veronal) buffer, at pH 8.6 and ionic strength 0.1μ, according to