Lysis of hapten-labeled cells by anti-hapten IgG and complement: effect of cell surface hapten density.

Rabbit anti-methotrexate (MTX) IgG antibody was used to study the effect of MTX density on sheep red cells on the lysis of cells by complement (C). Under conditions in which the density of IgG did not vary, the number of lytic IgG complexes remained approximately the same when the average distance between MTX molecules was between 5 and 7 nm, but decreased rapidly with an average distance less than 10 nm. The results were interpreted to mean that in addition to aggregation for IgG to acquire maximal C in fixing and activating properties, the angle of the Fab arms of the molecule must not be larger than about 50 to 60 degrees. The data also suggested IgG molecules with Fab angles of less than about 30 degrees might also not be able to induce C-mediated cell lysis.