Immunological properties of isolated IgG and IgM anti-gamma-globulins (rheumatoid factors).

Anti-gamma-globulins of the IgG and IgM classes have been isolated from sera of normal individuals and from patients with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. All of the isolated antibodies gave precipitin curves with heat-aggregated, reduced and alkylated gamma-globulin. IgM anti-gamma-globulins gave a positive latex fixation test at 4°C and 37°C while IgG anti-gamma-globulins generally gave a positive test only at 4°C. Anti-gamma-globulins from normals did not fix complement but IgG and IgM anti-gamma-globulins from rheumatoids fixed complement to a similar degree. This in vitro complement fixation could account at least in part for the diminished complement levels seen in many rheumatoid synovial effusions.