Activity of Dissociated and Reassociated 19s Anti-γ-globulins

19S anti-gamma-globulins were isolated in a high state of purity from the sera of two patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Following reduction with ethyl mercaptan and alkylation by iodoacetamide, fragments were produced which retained the capacity to combine with 7S gamma-globulin. The fragments from one of the 19S anti-gamma-globulins agglutinated red cells coated with incomplete anti-Rh antibodies. This activity was shown by density gradient ultracentrifugation to be associated with low molecular weight fractions. The agglutination of the coated red cells by the fragments was strongly inhibited by normal and myeloma 7S gamma-globulins and showed a greater specificity than the parent 19S material. Analytical ultracentrifuge experiments demonstrated that the fragments from either of the 19S anti-gamma-globulins formed complexes with 7S gamma-globulin. Reassociation of the dissociated fragments through reformation of disulfide bonds resulted in the formation of fast sedimenting molecules having properties similar to those of the untreated 19S material in respect to precipitation with aggregated gamma-globulin and agglutination of coated red cells.