Effects of Mild Periodate Oxidation on Antibodies

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Abstract
Summary: The effect of mild periodate oxidation of rabbit antibody to BSA and HGG and human skin sensitizing antibodies to ragweed were studied. Oxidation of carbohydrate was demonstrated by the marked reduction in fucose and neuraminic acid and moderate reduction in the hexose and hexosamine of the rabbit antibody. Amino acid analysis and optic rotation studies indicated that there was little if any protein oxidation. The marked decrease in direct PCA activity and the slight decrease in reverse PCA and precipitating antibody levels suggest that the antibody combining site was largely unaltered by oxidation and that the major effect was probably on the site responsible for tissue fixation or a structure necessary for the mediation of hypersensitivity reactions. Skin sensitizing antibodies were also inactivated by mild periodate oxidation but the site affected has not been determined. Other effects of oxidation on rabbit antibody included an increase in electrophoretic mobility and a tendency to form aggregates. No change in the antigenic determinants of periodate oxidized RGG was detected.