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Nucleotide sequences of heavy (VH) and light (VL) chain variable region complementarity determining regions have been determined from in vitro amplified mRNA isolated from a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) raised to a synthetic 34mer peptide representing the N-terminal portion of human parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP or parathyrin) reported to contain an immunodominant epitope. These mAb vary in affinity for the synthetic peptide and native PTHrP (Ka between 5.9 x 10(8) and 1.9 x 10(11)l/M). All 10 mAb studied were found were found to utilized restricted VH2, V kappa 2, JH4 and J kappa 1 family genes. Significant differences in the length and sequence of D elements were found; however 9/10 mAb utilize members of the DSP2 family. Significantly, two broad ranges of affinity could be determined based on the presence of Asp or Ala at residue 101 in JH.

Urinary protein excretion has been investigated using the iso-dalt technique in pregnant patients with hypertension and proteinuria, without hypertension but with proteinuria and without either hypertension or proteinuria. This high resolution electrophoretic technique has shown a great variation in the pattern of protein excreted by these patients, particularly those with hypertension. These showed an increased number of protein species in the urine, some of unknown identity. Two urines from this group appeared to contain no detectable albumin. Currently this technique is inappropriate for the routine analysis of urine proteins. However, further studies may determine the diagnostic value of these changes in urine excretion and allow the development of more specific assays.