Talk:Gamma globulin

Gamma globulin shots
I believe GG shots are given to U.S. servicemen who are going to eat overseas. I've been told that this causes your body to reject "bad stuff" (poisions and the like) as soon as you eat it. Anyone have some references or insight? /Blaxthos 16:26, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

I've heard of them getting them but as far as rejection of 'bad stuff' not sure. I had them for 6 months as a child due to chronic throat infections. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.47.15.38 (talk) 19:29, 4 August 2008 (UTC)

I received 5cc injection of GG while in the US Air Force prior to going to Turkey. 2.5cc in each upper butt check. Both injection sites left a sizeable bruise. This was in 1994. My understanding at the time was that the GG shot was a mix of plasma from many people and contained antibodies for various diseases that might be encountered. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.31.98.57 (talk) 07:37, 30 August 2014 (UTC)

Ig's?
The article says they're also called Ig's but it doesn't say why. does the I stand for something or or it because I sorta looks like the Greek letter Gamma? Someone who knows should add an explanation to the article. --Almosteverywhere (talk) 04:18, 10 January 2009 (UTC)

What does "I" stand for? The "I" stands for Immuno because they are also called Immunoglobulins.- Aman

Copypaste from WT:WikiProject Medicine
The following was offered up there by User:Kilbad, and it may be helpful for this article:

DEFINITIONS: 1. Paraprotein - "A normal or abnormal plasma protein appearing in large quantities as a result of a pathological condition" 2. Paraproteinemias - "A group of related diseases characterized by an unbalanced or disproportionate proliferation of immunoglobulin-producing cells, usually from a single clone. These cells frequently secrete a structurally homogeneous immunoglobulin and/or an abnormal immunoglobulin." 3. Gammopathy - "a disorder characterized by a disturbance in the body's synthesis of antibodies"

GENERAL COMMENTS: 1. Serum is composed of two general types of protein, (1) albumin, and (2) globulin. 2. There are many globulin proteins in the blood, of which one group is immunoglobulin. 3. The normal or abnormal plasma protein appearing in large quantities as a result of a pathological condition constituting paraprotein is usually (1) immunoglobulin, or (2) immunoglobulin-derived. 4. Immunoglobulin or immunoglobulin-derived paraprotein is produced by plasma cells. 5. Using the above definitions, the terms "gammopathy" and "paraproteinemia" are synonymous. [But see footnote 1 for nuance...] 6. If this paraprotein is produced by only one clone of plasma cell, it is considered a "monoclonal gammopathy" or alternatively a "monoclonal paraproteinemia." 7. If this paraprotein is produced by multiple clones of plasma cells, it is considered a "polyclonal gammopathy" or alternatively a "polyclonal paraproteinemia." 8. Immunoglobulin or immunoglobulin-derived paraprotein is usually composed of IgG or IgA, or pieces of those proteins 9. Individual immunoglobulin proteins are made up of heavy and light chains. 10. Immunoglobulin light chains may be one of two types, either lambda (λ) or kappa (κ)

GAMMOPATHY/PARAPROTEINEMIA AND CUTANEOUS CONDITIONS: 1. Many cutaneous conditions have been associated with a gammopathy/paraproteinemia (**SEE: Bolongia Table 119.2 for a near complete listing, and the ETAS study guide table 4-4 (pg138) for a high-yield listing) 2. With regard to the above definitions and general comments, here are some examples of usage from Bolognia: "Some patients with Sneddon–Wilkinson disease have an associated IgA paraproteinemia." "[The] monoclonal gammopathy of IgG paraprotein in those with scleromyxedema...is usually IgG with λ light chains." "A hallmark feature of necrobiotic xanthogranuloma is the associated paraproteinemia, an IgG monoclonal gammopathy, which is found in at least 80% of cases, most often IgG with k light chains." "[With the] neutrophilic dermatoses, Sweet's syndrome or pyoderma gangrenosum (particularly the atypical bullous form), approximately 10–20% of cases are associated with hematologic disorders such as acute myelogenous leukemia or IgA paraproteinemia." "Primary systemic amyloidosis [is characterized by a] immunoglobulin light chain monoclonal gammopathy due to plasma cell dyscrasia >> multiple myeloma."

DETECTION AND MANAGEMENT: 1. Several tests can be used to detect paraprotein. 2. The most common test is serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP). 3. There is some nuance to interpreting SPEP results, and this is not always the most specific/sensitive test for evaluating a possible gammopathy/paraproteinemia (we can touch on this another time; see reference 4 for a good review of SPEP interpretation) 4. When evaluating a cutaneous condition that may have an associated gammopathy/paraproteinemia, you should order testing to evaluate for paraprotein. 5. When a monoclonal gammopathy is present, the possibility of underlying multiple myeloma needs to be considered. [Bolognia] 6. Monoclonal gammopathy is present in up to 8 percent of healthy geriatric patients. 7. Patients with monoclonal gammopathy of "undetermined significance" require close follow-up because about 1 percent per year develop multiple myeloma or another malignant monoclonal gammopathy.

FOOTNOTES: [1] Some authors define the term "paraproteinemias" in a more strict sense to mean only "a plasma cell disorder in which an abnormal amount of a **single** immunoglobulin is present in the serum." If one holds to this definition, then the general terms "paraproteinemia" and "gammopathy" would NOT be synonyous. Rather, in this case, the terms "paraproteinemia" and "monoclonal gammopathy" would be synonymous.

REFERENCES:

Which Immunoglobulins are not gamma globulins?
The introductory sentences (as of 6 Apr 2011) states "The most significant gamma globulins are immunoglobulins ("Igs"), more commonly known as antibodies, although some Igs are not gamma globulins, and some gamma globulins are not Igs." If this is correct then it should be possible to state which Ig do not separate in the Gamma Zone. Anyone?

Which Ig are not gamma globulins?

Regarding the converse, it is already implied in the clause at the beginning of the sentence ("The most significant gamma globulins are immunoglobulins") - obviously, the "insignificant" gamma globulins must be something other than Ig. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Johnfravolda (talk • contribs) 18:38, 6 April 2011 (UTC)

Very confusing
Is this article meant to be for the lay-person? It's very, very confusing.Please see this article for how to accurately describe an complex medical topic to lay-people. 140.247.141.165 (talk) 22:54, 4 March 2012 (UTC)

I agree, and it's also overemphasizing the medical aspects. This should be integrated into discussions of the immune system from a general biological standpoint. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.87.57.174 (talk) 05:33, 11 April 2013 (UTC)

My physician father gave us 4 children GG injections (I think maybe only one time) during the polio epidemic in mid 1950s. When Salk and Sabin vaccines became available, he volunteered to go to neighboring towns and administer the doses to school children on weekends. He told me about herd immunity. I do not recall any ill effects in the family. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.65.32.10 (talk) 18:32, 19 May 2020 (UTC)

history of gamma globulin
My father was the US Embassy Doc in New Delhi from 1956 to 1958. Sometime in that period he received a shipment of US gamma globulin which was released to treat polio outbreaks. A striking memory for me was big burly Russians in an old looking black car taking my father off one night to their embassy compound because Polio was spreading through their concentrated, cloistered, families. "The Russian Embassy is temporarily out of gamma globulin and we need your help." There is renewed interest in treatment with antibodies and it would be interesting/important to know how well the gamma globulin worked against polio and other diseases. The CIA might have the data - they debriefed my father extensively after his house calls at the Russian and Chinese embassies and were surely following the results. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.71.12.171 (talk) 14:07, 20 June 2020 (UTC)

IgG
Is there a connection between Gamma globulin and IgG? As far as I know there is, but neither article explains it. Gah4 (talk) 08:10, 18 August 2021 (UTC)

Ig in autoimmune disease
Somebody with more expertise than me please consider editing the following. In this short article the 4th paragraph reads

''Another theory on how gamma globulin administration works in autoimmune disease is by overloading the mechanisms that degrade gamma globulins. Overloading the degradation mechanism causes the harmful gamma globulins to have a much shorter half of the life in sera.''

1. Apart from the theory lacking any references, the explanation in the second sentence seems illogical. Surely overloading the degradation mechanism would reduce degradation of bad gamma globulins too, thus increasing their half-life?

2. The article may have been translated from another language - the phrase half of life looks like it should be half-life. Dmhball~enwiki (talk) 13:28, 11 July 2022 (UTC)