The effect of
solvent conditions on the aggregation of
IgM in serum specimens from patients with
macroglobulinemia was studied by a turbidimetric procedure. Aggregation of
IgM varied considerably among the samples and was affected by a number of experimental parameters. In general,
IgM aggregation was more pronounced under acidic conditions and in
solvents with low ionic strength. The presence of water-miscible organic
solvents also promoted aggregation. Based on these studies, it was concluded that the major force involved in the formation of
immunoglobulin aggregates in the serum of patients with
macroglobulinemia was electrostatic, rather than hydrophobic, interactions. A number of additives known to prevent
protein aggregation were evaluated for their effectiveness in inhibiting
IgM aggregation. The only additives that were shown to inhibit or reduce
IgM aggregation were charged molecules, such as
arginine,
sodium chloride, ethylenediamintetraacetic
acid and quaternary
ammonium beta-cyclodextrin. Some of these charged additives were also effective in dissociating the
IgM aggregates once they were formed, even in the presence of
detergent.