Influence of Mercaptoethanol Treatment on Skin Sensitizing and Complement Binding Ability of 7 S Anti-Dinitrophenol-Bovine Gamma Globulin Antibody. ∗

Summary

Treatment of a 7 S anti DNP-BGG antibody with 2-ME resulted in a marked diminution of its ability to trigger positive PCA reactions in mice and guinea pigs; 3 to 4 times more ME treated antibody was necessary to obtain a reaction comparable to that produced by native antibody. In the reverse PCA technique, ME treatment was without influence on the skin reaction. Therefore, the diminution of the direct PCA reaction is not the result of an impaired antigen antibody reaction, but rather the consequence of a diminished tissue fixation of ME treated antibody. Complement fixing capacity of the antibody was practically abolished by ME treatment. From this fact and from results of PCA reactions in decomplemented animals, it follows that PCA reactions in mice and guinea pigs require little, if any complement.