Skin-Sensitizing Activity Related to γ-Polypeptide Chain Characteristics of Human IgG

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Abstract
Summary: Human G-myeloma proteins differ in their ability to sensitize guinea pig skin for reverse passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. Skin-sensitizing activity correlates with γ-chain antigenic characteristics of these molecules. Positive RPCA tests were obtained with 21 γ2b-, 8 γ2c- and 5 γ2d-myeloma proteins. Fourteen γ2a-myeloma proteins were unable to sensitize guinea pig skin for this reaction. Inhibition experiments suggest that γ2a-molecules are incapable of producing reverse passive cutaneous anaphylaxis because they fail to combine with a critical tissue receptor site. The Fc (fast) fragment produced by papain digestion of some G-myeloma proteins contains the portion of the molecule both necessary and sufficient for the sensitization of guinea pig skin. Neither Fab (slow) nor F(ab′)2 (pepsin) fragments of G-myeloma proteins have skin-sensitizing activity. “Heavy-chain disease” proteins, which are very similar to enzymatically produced Fc fragments, also sensitize guinea pig skin for RPCA.

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