Myeloma-Associated Paraprotein Directed against the HIV-1 p24 Antigen in an HIV-1-Seropositive Patient

The spectrum of hematologic and immunologic abnormalities in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is broad1,2. Although the incidence of B-cell-associated neoplasms is increased, relatively few cases of multiple myeloma have been described3,4. There are, however, reports of patients in whom serum paraproteins present as single or oligoclonal bands5–11. These paraproteins have previously been thought of as part of the exuberant polyclonal response to HIV-110,11. In this report, we describe an HIV-1-positive patient with myeloma whose IgG-κ paraprotein specifically recognized the HIV-1 p24 gag antigen. It is possible that an HIV-1 . . .