MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF COMPLEMENT-FIXING RHEUMATOID SYNOVIAL-FLUID IMMUNE-COMPLEXES

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 46  (3) , 521-529
Abstract
The characteristics of the solid-phase conglutinin method for the isolation of C3[complement component 3]-containing complexes from synovial effusions of rheumatoid arthritis patients were assessed. All major proteins in such complexes were either Ig or complement components. The high proportion of IgM and the association between complexed IgM and latex agglutination titer suggest that IgM rheumatoid factor, probably binding to self-associated IgG antiglobulins, is of major importance in the formation of complement-fixing complexes. A minority of samples contained unidentified trace components and these differed from 1 fluid to another. Levels of complexed Ig were closely correlated to the titers of synovial fluid antiglobulins. Autosensitization to IgG apparently plays the primary role in the development of immunopathological features of established rheumatoid arthritis.