Increased C-Peptide Immunoreactivity in Insulin Autoimmune Syndrome (Hirata Disease) Due to High Molecular Weight Proinsulin

BACKGROUND: Determination of C-peptide is important in the investigation of unexplained hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia because a high C-peptide concentration usually indicates endogenous insulin hypersecretion. Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) denotes hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia due to insulin-binding antibodies that prolong insulin half-life. C-peptide clearance is considered to be unaffected, and although a marked C-peptide immunoreactivity in hypoglycemic samples has been reported, it has been suspected to be artifactual. High-resolution mass spectrometry enables examination of the basis of C-peptide-immunoreactivity in IAS. METHODS: Precipitation of plasma with polyethylene glycol was followed by C-peptide immunoassay. Plasma peptides extracted by solvent precipitation were characterized by nano-LC–MS/MS and analyzed using an untargeted data-dependent method. Peptides related to proinsulin, in amino acid sequence, were identified using proprietary bioinformatics software and confirmed by repeat LC–MS/MS analysis. Gel filtration chromatography coupled to LC–MS/MS was used to identify proinsulin-related peptides present in IAS immunocomplexes. Results were compared with those from C-peptide immunoassay. RESULTS: Polyethylene glycol precipitation of IAS plasma, but not control plasma, depleted C-peptide immunoreactivity consistent with immunoglobulin-bound C-peptide immunoreactivity. LC–MS/MS detected proinsulin and des 31,32 proinsulin at higher abundance in IAS plasma compared with control plasma. Analysis by gel filtration chromatography coupled to LC–MS/MS demonstrated proinsulin and des 31,32 proinsulin, but no C-peptide, in plasma immunocomplexes. CONCLUSIONS: Antibody binding can enrich proinsulin and des 31,32 proinsulin in IAS immunocomplexes. Proinsulin cross-reactivity in some C-peptide immunoassays can lead to artifactually increased C-peptide results.