Copper‐catalyzed thermal aggregation of human gamma‐globulin inhibition by histidine, gold thiomalate, and penicillamine

Abstract

Abstract Gold thiomalate (40 μM), penicillamine (40 μM), and histidine (20 μM) inhibit the copper‐catalyzed (20 μM) thermal aggregation of human gamma globulin (0.8 mg/ml). At these concentrations, inhibition of gamma globulin aggregation was 87%, 96%, and 99% complete. This effect may be related to the reported suppressive effect of these agents in rheumatoid arthritis and adds support to the hypothesis that the hypohistidinemia of rheumatoid arthritis participates in the pathogenesis of the disease.