I don't know how efficiently inactivate IgM antibodies. I tried to use heat incubation (70 degrees Celsius) and incubation with reagents: DTT and 2-mercaptoethanol but the main problem is that after incubation serum turns into gel. This makes it impossible for me to verify the inactivation IgM and presence od IgG with semi-automated column test.
Inactivation of IgM antibodies is a common challenge when detecting IgG antibodies, as IgM can interfere with the assay and lead to false positive results. Heat treatment and reducing agents such as DTT and 2-mercaptoethanol can denature and inactivate IgM antibodies, but as you mentioned, these methods can also cause serum to turn into gel, which can complicate the assay.
One alternative method to inactivate IgM antibodies is to use an anti-human IgM antibody that binds specifically to IgM and blocks its binding to the test antigen. This method is called IgM block or IgM capture, and it allows for the detection of IgG antibodies without interference from IgM.
Another approach is to use an IgG-specific assay that can detect IgG antibodies directly, without the need to inactivate IgM antibodies. For example, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) can be designed to detect specific IgG antibodies in serum.
It's also worth noting that gelation of serum after heat treatment or reducing agents may indicate the presence of high levels of protein or other contaminants in the sample, which can affect the accuracy of the assay. In this case, it may be helpful to try different sample dilutions or purification methods to reduce the interference of contaminants and improve the performance of the assay.
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