Abstract
Summary
Iodoacetate, a compound known to form mercaptides with sulphydryls, has been shown to inactivate guinea-pig complement. The inactivated complement was partially regenerated with ascorbic acid and glutathione (SH) but not with saturated H2S water or KCN by our experimental procedure. This would indicate that the action of the iodoacetate on guinea-pig complement is not wholly upon thiol grouping, and that it may have other effects on the protein molecule. The fact that the iodoacetate-treated complement could be reactivated with two natural occurring reductants points to the possibility of a specific action of these two agents.
From these observations it must be assumed that iodoacetate acts primarily upon the protein and possibly on the 4th component of complement.
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