THE INFLUENCE OF FORMALDEHYDE ON THE IMMUNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF HUMAN SERUM-PROTEINS INVITRO

After the incubation of human serum proteins with formaldehyde, we have found several changes in the physicochemical and immunochemical properties caused by denaturation. The electrophoretic mobility was generally increased, whereas the amount of immunochemically estimable proteins was diminished, as quantitatively determined by the single radial immunodiffusion technique with monospecific antisera. The activity of specific antibodies was also decreased after formaldehyde incubation of patients' sera with high levels of candida antibodies and antinuclear antibodies respectively. These denaturation effects are dose dependent and irreversible. The high reactivity of formaldehyde against biomolecules should be taken into consideration under the aspect of allergology, toxicology and industrial dermatology because of its technical relevance.