Glycosylation of Immunoglobulin Light Chains Is Highly Prevalent in Cold Agglutinin Disease

Introduction: Primary cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is a rare disorder and accounts for 15% of all autoimmune hemolytic anemia. It is associated with an underlying monoclonal protein, which is IgM kappa in the majority of patients. The IgM protein triggers complement mediated extravascular hemolysis. The underlying pathophysiology by which autoimmune hemolysis affects only a small subset of patients with IgM monoclonal protein is poorly understood. Changes in the IgM structure via post-translational modifications of light chains (LCs), such as glycosylation are enriched in patients with AL amyloidosis, another rare disorder where disease manifestations are driven by the protein structure. (Kumar S et al Leukemia 2017). We hypothesized that presence of post-translational glycosylation is a potential mechanism allowing the IgM protein to trigger complement mediated hemolysis in CAD.

Methods: Serum samples of patients being evaluated for monoclonal protein disorders were analyzed by immuno-enrichment-based matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), termed MASS-FIX. Patients who had an underlying IgM monoclonal protein identified by MASS-FIX from 07/23/2018 to 5/14/2019 were included this study. Glycosylated LCs were identified by the shift in their molecular mass due to the added molecular mass of the carbohydrates. Glycosylation was compared in patients with IgM associated CAD vs. other IgM disorders.

Results: 438 unique patients with an IgM monoclonal protein identified on MASS-FIX were included in the study. CAD was present in 3% (n=14) of patients. The primary underlying diagnosis in the remaining patients was monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS): 47% (n=206), lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL)/Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (WM): 30% (n=132), non-LPL lymphoma: 6% (n=28), AL amyloidosis: 4% (n=19), CLL: 4% (n=18), cryoglobulinemia: 2% (n=10), multiple myeloma: 2% (n=9) and other: 0.5% (n=2)

Glycosylation was present in 7% (31/438) of patients in this cohort. Glycosylation was significantly more prevalent in patients with CAD than other IgM gammopathies (64% vs. 5%, p <0.001). CAD was present in 29% of patients with glycosylation and in only 1% of patients without glycosylation, p<0.001.

Disease characteristics of patients with CAD, including patients with and without glycosylated LCs are listed in Table 1. No statistically significant differences were observed in the features of CAD patients with and without glycosylation, though sample size was small. All patients (100%) had IgM kappa monoclonal protein. Median M-spike was 0.5 g/dL. The associated disorder was IgM MGUS in 50% of patients, LPL/WM in 29%, marginal zone lymphoma in 14% and a non-specific B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder in 7% of patients. Median hemoglobin was 11.2 g/dL. All patients had characteristic RBC agglutination on peripheral smear. Elevated LDH and undetectable haptoglobin were seen in 100% of patients. Cold agglutinin titer was positive (>1:64) in 12 of 13 patients (85%) in whom it was tested. The remaining patient had a titer of 1:8. Polyspecific Coombs test/direct antiglobin test (DAT) was positive in 100% of patients (n=12 tested) and all patients who were tested with monospecific DAT had an antiC3 antibody (n=10). One patient also had monospecific anti IgG antibody. Transfusions were needed in 21% of patients. Other clinical manifestations included acrocyanosis in 43% (n=6) and Raynaud's phenomenon in 50% (n=7) of patients, respectively. Treatment for CAD included rituximab with or without steroids in 50% (n=7) of patients, rituximab-based chemotherapy in 29% (n=4) of patients, with observation alone in 21% (n=3) of patients.

Conclusions: Modification of the IgM immunoglobulin structure by post-translational glycosylation of LCs was significantly more common in patients with CAD compared with other IgM monoclonal gammopathies (64% vs. 5%, p <0.001). CAD was seen in only 1% of patients without glycosylation, while one-third of patients with glycosylation had CAD. This is a novel finding. As MASS FIX is now routinely done for detection of monoclonal proteins at our institution, the presence of LC glycosylation can provide diagnostic clues and can be a potential therapeutic target in the future. Future studies in larger, independent cohorts of patients are needed to confirm these findings.

*SS & DLM contributed equally

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