Human IgM antibodies do not activate guinea-pig complement after interaction with soluble antigen.

Activation of guinea-pig complement by human IgM antibodies after interaction with a particulate antigen is well established. Human IgM antibodies directed against meningococcal group-C capsular polysaccharide, however, were not able to fix guinea-pig complement in a classical complement fixation test with soluble antigen. In the same test, human complement was readily activated by these antibodies. This inability of human IgM antibodies to activate guinea-pig complement after interaction with soluble antigen was confirmed in other antigen systems. In contrast, efficient activation of both human and guinea-pig complement was found with the same antigen in a particulate form.