Study of IgM aggregation in serum of patients with macroglobulinemia

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 β-cyclodextrin. Some of these charged additives were also effective in dissociating the IgM aggregates once they were formed, even in the presence of detergent.