Inhibition of complement by gold sodium thiomalate.

The effect of gold sodium thiomalate on C3 and factor B activation by monosodium urate monohydrate (MSUM) and zymosan was studied using a quantitative immunoelectrophoretic assay for complement activation. C3 and factor B conversion by the classical pathway activator MSUM, was inhibited 50% and 100% by 3.2 x 10(-4)M and 10(-3)M gold sodium thiomalate, respectively. C3 and factor B conversion by the alternative pathway activator, zymosan, was much less susceptible to inhibition by gold. Gold at 10(-3)M, inhibited alternative pathway activation by only 30%. A 50% inhibition would have required 10(-2)M gold. There was no significant inhibition of complement activation through either pathway by less than 10(-4)M gold. Sodium thiomalate alone showed no inhibition. Studies using other crystals and immune complexes were confirmatory. Thus, there was no appreciable inhibition of the complement system at concentrations of gold attainable in the serum of patients receiving chrysotherapy. The in vivo significance of these findings is unknown.