What does it mean if your Beta 2 microglobulin is high?

What does it mean if your Beta 2 microglobulin is high?

People with cancers of the bone marrow and blood often have high levels of B2M in their blood or urine. These cancers include multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia. High levels of B2M in cerebrospinal fluid can mean that cancer has spread to the brain and/or spinal cord.

What is a b2 microglobulin blood test?

This beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) test is used as a tumor marker for some people with blood cell cancers. It is not diagnostic for a specific disease, but it has been associated with the amount of cancer present (tumor burden) and can give a healthcare practitioner additional information about someone’s likely prognosis.

What is the function of beta 2 microglobulin in MHC 1?

Impaired renal function and hyperproduction of beta 2-microglobulin are both associated with increased serum levels. A function for beta 2-microglobulin as a modulator of lymphocyte surface and as a potential regulator of the immune system is proposed.

What is normal range for globulin?

Normal value ranges are: Serum globulin: 2.0 to 3.5 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or 20 to 35 grams per liter (g/L) IgM component: 75 to 300 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 750 to 3,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L)

What cells express MHC II?

Dendritic cells (DCs), B cells and macrophages constitutively express MHC class II molecules and are regarded as the ‘professional’ antigen-presenting cells (APCs) of the immune system (Fig. 1).

What is Beta-2 microglobulin amyloidosis?

Beta-2 ̶ microglobulin (beta-2m) amyloidosis is a disabling condition that affects patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis (HD) or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Case reports involving patients with near ̶ end-stage renal disease also exist.

What kind of antigen is beta-2 microglobulin?

Beta-2 microglobulin is a low-molecular-weight protein that forms the light chain component of class I histocompatibility (HLA: human leukocyte antigen) antigens.

What does beta-2 microglobulin mean in urine test?

High beta-2 microglobulin level in the blood indicates glomerular damage, while high beta-2 microglobulin level in the urine indicates tubular damage. (Read more: Beta-2 microglobulin serum test)

What is the pH of beta-2 microglobulin excretion?

Beta-2 microglobulin excretion is increased 100 to 1000 times normal levels in cadmium-exposed workers. Degradation of beta-2 microglobulin occurs at pH <6.0.

Where is B2 microglobulin excreted in the body?

It is excreted via the renal glomerulus, the majority being reabsorbed in the proximal tubules. It exists in the serum as a stable monomer with no significant diurnal variation and is used to monitor B cell malignancy.

Beta-2 microglobulin is a low-molecular-weight protein that forms the light chain component of class I histocompatibility (HLA: human leukocyte antigen) antigens.

What happens to Beta 2 microglobulin in urine?

Beta 2 microglobulin may be undetectable in the urine. Increased levels of beta 2 microglobulin in the blood and urine indicate that there is a problem but are not diagnostic of a specific disease or condition. Increases in blood and urine beta 2 microglobulin can be seen with certain cancers, including multiple myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma.

What happens when β 2 microglobulin is lost?

Loss of this function causes iron excess and hemochromatosis. In cytomegalovirus infection, a viral protein binds to β 2 microglobulin, preventing assembly of MHC class I molecules and their transport to the plasma membrane. Mice models deficient for the β 2 microglobulin gene have been engineered.

What is the normal β2 microglobulin level for multiple myeloma?

The normal value of β2 microglobulin is <2 mg/L. However, with respect to multiple myeloma, the levels of β2 microglobulin may also be at the other end of the spectrum. Diagnostic testing for multiple myeloma includes obtaining the β2 microglobulin level, for this level is an important prognostic indicator.