Crystal structure of deglycosylated human IgG4-Fc

The Fc region of IgG antibodies, important for effector functions such as antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis and complement activation, contains an oligosaccharide moiety covalently attached to each C_H2 domain. The oligosaccharide not only orients the C_H2 domains but plays an important role in influencing IgG effector function, and engineering the IgG-Fc oligosaccharide moiety is an important aspect in the design of therapeutic monoclonal IgG antibodies. Recently we reported the crystal structure of glycosylated IgG4-Fc, revealing structural features that could explain the anti-inflammatory biological properties of IgG4 compared with IgG1. We now report the crystal structure of enzymatically deglycosylated IgG4-Fc, derived from human serum, at 2.7 Å resolution. Intermolecular C_H2-C_H2 domain interactions partially bury the C_H2 domain surface that would otherwise be exposed by the absence of oligosaccharide, and two Fc molecules are interlocked in a symmetric, open conformation. The conformation of the C_H2 domain DE loop, to which oligosaccharide is attached, is altered in the absence of carbohydrate. Furthermore, the C_H2 domain FG loop, important for Fcγ receptor and C1q binding, adopts two different conformations. One loop conformation is unique to IgG4 and would disrupt binding, consistent with IgG4's anti-inflammatory properties. The second is similar to the conserved conformation found in IgG1, suggesting that in contrast to IgG1, the IgG4 C_H2 FG loop is dynamic. Finally, crystal packing reveals a hexameric arrangement of IgG4-Fc molecules, providing further clues about the interaction between C1q and IgG.     

1H NMR studies of the Fc region of human IgG1 and IgG3 immunoglobulins: Assignment of histidine resonances in the CH3 domain and identification of IgG3 protein carrying G3m(st) allotypes

A ¹H NMR study of the Fc region of human IgG1 and IgG3 immunoglobulins is presented. ¹H NMR data were collected for the Fc and pFc' fragments obtained from human monoclonal IgG1 and IgG3 and also from rabbit IgG. The C2-H proton signal of His-435 in the C_H3 domain of IgG1 was assigned by comparing the spectra of the Fc fragment of IgG1 with that of IgG3[G3m(g)] where there is a substitution of histidine by arginine at position 435. Chemical shifts and linewidths of the His-435 signal are quite different for the Fc and pFc' fragments. We suggest that His-435 is involved in the interdomain C_H2-C_H3 contact. Assignments of the C2-H proton signals of His-429 and His-433 in the C_H3 domain were made on the basis of our previous ¹H NMR results on the human light chain.NMR measurements clearly show that IgG3 Jir, which was isolated from a Japanese patient with cryoglobulinemia, has histidine at position 435 as in the case of IgG1. We also confirmed that IgG3 Jir reacts strongly with protein A. In marked contrast, IgG3[G3m(g)] does not bind protein A. These results show that binding of protein A to the Fc region is not subclass-specific and the existence of His-435 is a necessary condition for the protein A binding.It has recently been demonstrated that IgG3 proteins carrying G3m(st) allotypes. which are relatively common in Mongoloid populations but quite rare in Caucasians, bind protein A strongly. We confirmed that, as expected, IgG3 Jir carries G3m(st) allotypes. The pH titration curve of His-435 observed for IgG3 Jir is quite different from that for IgG1. This result makes it possible to identify by ¹H NMR IgG3 proteins carrying G3m(st) allotypes. In the case of the pFc' fragments, His-435 gives identical titration curves for IgG1 and IgG3[G3m(st)]. This is consistent with the fact that no serological distinction can be made between the pFc' fragments obtained from these two types of proteins. We suggest that G3m(st)-specific antiserum differentiates IgG1 and IgG3[G3m(st)] by recognizing the difference in the way in which the C_H2 and C_H3 domains make contact with each other.     

Complement-dependent inhibition of Fc receptors on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells: inhibition of the binding of aggregated IgG,soluble and particulate immune complexes

In our previous papers the complement-dependent inhibition of aggregated IgG binding to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) preincubated with normal human sera or with C3b generated in the presence of lymphocytes was described. In this paper the complement-dependent inhibition of the binding of soluble [¹²⁵I]BSA-anti-BSA and particulate E_huA_anti-D immune complexes (ICs) is described. Nascent C3b fragments, generated either in fresh serum during activation of the classical complement pathway or from native C3 molecules by trypsin, in the presence of the cells inhibited the binding of ICs to the cells. A comparison of the complement-dependent inhibition of different Fc-receptor (FcR) ligands revealed that the fixation of aggregated IgG was more intensively inhibited than that of particulate or soluble ICs. A possible mechanism of the binding of different FcR ligands — aggregated IgG and ICs — to the cell membrane and the causes of the differences in the inhibition induced by C3b fragments fixed to the acceptor sites on PBMCs is discussed.     

Crystal structure of a novel asymmetrically engineered Fc variant with improved affinity for FcγRs

Enhancing the effector function by optimizing the interaction between Fc and Fcγ receptor (FcγR) is a promising approach to enhance the potency of anticancer monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). To date, a variety of Fc engineering approaches to modulate the interaction have been reported, such as afucosylation in the heavy chain Fc region or symmetrically introducing amino acid substitutions into the region, and there is still room to improve FcγR binding and thermal stability of the C_H2 domain with these approaches. Recently, we have reported that asymmetric Fc engineering, which introduces different substitutions into each Fc region of heavy chain, can further improve the FcγR binding while maintaining the thermal stability of the C_H2 domain by fine-tuning the asymmetric interface between the Fc domain and FcγR. However, the structural mechanism by which the asymmetrically engineered Fc improved FcγR binding remained unclear. In order to elucidate the mechanism, we solved the crystal structure of a novel asymmetrically engineered Fc, asym-mAb23, in complex with FcγRIIIa. Asym-mAb23 has enhanced binding affinity for both FcγRIIIa and FcγRIIa at the highest level of previously reported Fc variants. The structural analysis reveals the features of the asymmetrically engineered Fc in comparison with symmetric Fc and how each asymmetrically introduced substitution contributes to the improved interaction between asym-mAb23 and FcγRIIIa. This crystal structure could be utilized to enable us to design a more potent asymmetric Fc.     

Immunoglobulin Binding Specificities of the Homology Regions (Domains) of Protein A

Protein A binds immunoglobulins and it has two target structures, one in Feγ (C_H) and the other in selected V_H regions. The protein has five homology regions (domains). A, B, C, D, and E. Fc-binding and V_H-binding have been reported to be non-competitive, suggesting that different domains are responsible for the binding of the two ligands. On the other hand, all five domains have been reported to bind Fc. I studied binding of different immunoglobulins by protein A or its domain B (rBB). The results show that separate domains bind V_H and Fc. If all five domains are capable of binding Fc, the ones that bind V_h have low affinity for Fc. Furthermore, the number of Fc-binding domains varies depending on the type of the IgG being bound. Human IgG1 or lgG2 or rabbit IgG (Fc) seem to be bound by several domains (possibly four), and domain B is one of them. Mouse IgG1 or lgG2b are bound by fewer domains not including B. Murine lgG2a is also bound by fewer domains but B is one of them.     

Human IgG1 and its Fc fragment bind with different affinities to the Fc receptors on the human U937, HL-60 and ML-1 cell lines

Measurements were made of the binding of human monomeric 125I-IgG1 and 125I-Fc to U937 cells at room temp. Analyses of the binding data showed that these cells possessed a single class of receptor (FcR) for Fc or IgG and, although both ligands were found to bind to the same number of sites per cell, Fc was found to bind with about twice the affinity of IgG. At 20 degrees C estimates of the forward rate constants and the dissociation rate constants for IgG and Fe were 1.13 and 3.65 X 10(7) M-1 min-1 and 0.33 and 0.57 X 10(-2) min-1 respectively. Independent determinations of the association constants (Ka) under the same experimental conditions gave values of 0.98 X 10(9) M-1 for IgG and 3.1 X 10(9) M-1 for Fc. Thus the Fc fragment of IgG appears to bind to U937 FcR at 3-4 times the rate of IgG and to dissociate at about twice the rate, resulting in higher values of Ka for the Fc-FcR than for the IgG-FcR interaction. Also, in competitive-binding experiments and in EA rosette inhibition assay the Fc fragment was consistently found to be more efficient in FcR binding than IgG. Similar results were obtained using HL-60 and ML-1 cells which possess FcR like those on U937 cells and with IgG1 and Fc prepared from other myelomas. IgG and Fe which had undergone mild reduction and alkylation bound to the same number of FcR per U937 cell as the non-reduced ligands but the affinity of binding was diminished to a similar degree with both ligands, suggesting that the major effect of cleavage of the interchain disulfide bonds on cytophilic binding is due to alteration of the native quaternary relationships of the C gamma 2 and C gamma 3 domains.     

Size-dependent effect of IgA on the IgA Fc receptor (CD89)

The IgA Fc receptor (FcR; CD89) is expressed on several types of cells of the myeloid cell lineage. We investigated whether different sizes of heat-aggregated IgA (aIgA) bind to CD89 and subsequently induce cellular activation. As a model we used the murine B cell line IIA1.6 transfected with CD89 or IIA1.6 cells transfected with CD89 as well as with the FcR γ chain to study the binding of IgA to CD89. When these cells expressing CD89 were incubated with monomeric IgA, no significant binding of IgA to the cells was detectable by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis; however, incubation of the cells with aggregated IgA resulted in 93 ± 2% positive cells. Incubation of the cells with different sizes of IgA-containing aggregates revealed optimal binding with aggregates containing five to six molecules of IgA per aggregate. No difference was observed between the binding to CD89 of both IgA1- or IgA2-containing aggregates. Furthermore, the binding of aIgA was found to be CD89-specific, since the binding of IgA was completely inhibited by the CD89-specific monoclonal antibody My43 and no detectable binding occurred to the IIA1.6 parent cell line. Activation studies using interleukin-2 (IL-2) production as a marker, showed that the FcR γ chain is necessary to induce cellular activation. Only cells transfected with both CD89 and the FcR γ chain (CD89⁺/γ⁺) enhance the IL-2 production 10–12-fold upon stimulation with aggregates of IgA. Furthermore, triggering of CD89 only results in increase of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) in cells co-expressing FcR γ chain. Mutation of the tyrosine residues in the FcR γ chain immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif of the FcR γ chain abolishes this increase in [Ca²⁺]_i, indicating association and involvement of the FcR γ chain in CD89-mediated signaling.     

Human IgG isotypes and activating Fcγ receptors in the interaction of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium with phagocytic cells

Several classes and multiple subclasses of immunoglobulins are produced towards protein and polysaccharide antigens in response to Salmonella infection and play a key role in protection against systemic disease. The targeting of Salmonella to Fc receptors (FcR) on phagocytes is a key step in the antibody-mediated antibacterial functions of host cells. We wished to compare the relative efficiency of different human IgG subclasses, which targeted the Salmonella enterica OmpA surface protein in modulating the interaction of bacteria with human phagocytes. To this end, we developed a novel system by tagging OmpA with a foreign CD52 mimotope (TSSPSAD) and opsonizing the bacteria with a panel of humanized CD52 antibodies that share the same antigen-binding V-region, but have constant regions of different subclasses. Our data revealed that opsonization with all the IgG subclasses increases Salmonella uptake by human phagocytes. IgG3 resulted in the highest level of bacterial uptake and the highest average bacterial load per infected cell, which was closely followed by IgG1, then IgG4 and lastly IgG2. Phagocytosis mediated by IgG1, IgG3 and IgG4 had a higher dependency on FcγRI than FcγRIIA, whereas IgG2-mediated phagocytosis required FcγRIIA more than FcγRI. The results show that IgG binding to OmpA increases the uptake of Salmonella by human phagocytic cells and that the efficiency of this process depends both on the subclass of the IgG and the type of FcR that is available for antibody binding.     

The role of Cɛ2, Cɛ3, and Cɛ4 domains in human and canine IgE and their contribution to FcɛRIα interaction

The C?2 and C?4 domains are considered as scaffolds, allowing C?3 domains to assume an appropriate orientation to interact with Fc?RI (0130 and 0050). Human/canine IgE chimeric antibodies were expressed to assess the nature of the contribution of C?2 and C?4 domains to bind to and induce target cell degranulation via Fc?RIα. Our results indicate that for (1) C?3 domains in IgE of canine and human origin are the only necessary region for binding to Fc?RIα. (2) The interaction of canine IgE with human sFc?RIα is significantly enhanced by contributions from both C?2 and C?4 domains of dog origin. (3) The canine/human IgE chimeric antibody construct rapidly dissociates from its the receptor when the canine C?2 and C?4 domains are replaced by the homologous human Fc domains which do not confer a conformation on the C?3 domain to facilitate stable interaction with canine Fc?RIα. Kinetic constants for the binding of this chimera to the soluble extracellular domain of the receptor indicate an approximate 120-fold decrease in the affinity for canine sFc?RIα (k_a = 5.30 × 10² M⁻¹ s⁻¹) and a 330-fold increase in the dissociation from canine sFc?RIα (K_D = 6.9 × 10⁻⁶ M⁻¹), compared to the wild type IgE kinetic constants (K_a = 6.30 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹; K_D = 2.1 × 10⁻⁸ M⁻¹). Although canine IgE does engage human Fc?RIα, canine C?2 and C?4 do not contribute to the high-affinity of interaction with human Fc?RIα. Upon replacement of human C?2 and C?4 domain by the canine homologues, human IgE C?3 only retains a low affinity for the human receptor, which shows that C?2 and C?4 domains in human IgE Fc contribute significantly to the interaction with its cognate receptor.     

Comparison of the conformations of two intact monoclonal antibodies with hinges*

Summary: Structures of two intact monoclonal antibodies were solved by X-ray diffraction analysis revealing, in both cases, the dispositions of all segments, as well as the structures of the hinge polypeptides. An IgG1, whose antigen is the drug phenobarbital, assumed a completely different conformation when compared with an IgG2a specific for canine lymphoma cells. Though neither IgG displays global two-fold symmetry, both maintain two pseudo dyad axes, one relating Fab segments, and the other the halves of the Fc. In both IgGs, the Fc segment is obhquely disposed with respect to the plane of the Fabs, making an angle of 128° in the IgG2a. and 107° in the IgG1, Hinge angles of the IgG1 are notably different at 78° and 123°, and unique as well from IgG2a values of 66° and 113°, Elbow angles within the IgG1 Fabs are the same at 155°, but non-identical in IgG2a where they took on values of 143° and 159°, The IgG2a has an angle of 172° between Fabs so that it exhibits a “distorted T” shape, whereas that angle in the IgG1 is a much more acute 115° producing a “distorted Y”, C_H2 domains appear, in both antibodies, to be the most independently mobile of the paired IgG domains. This perhaps reflects their importance in modulating effector functions through exposure of binding loci on the C_H2, at the C_H2-C_H3 interface, and on lower hinge polypeptides. Hinges in both antibodies contain disulfide-linked cores bounded by fluid regions above and below, which provide mobility to the Fabs and Fc respectively. The conformations seen in these two structures are undoubtedly only two among many but they illustrate the modes of flexibility inherent to the IgG architecture.     

Binding of divalent H-2Kd/IgG2aFc fusion protein to murine macrophage via Fc-FcR interaction

Peptide-MHC class I complex （pMHC） is a specific ligand for TCR recognition, and important for CD8^＋T cell activation. Here we described a genetically engineered divalent class I major histocompatibility complex （MHC） molecule, H-2K^d/IgG2aFc, a fusion protein consisting of the extracellular domains of H-2K^d, a murine MHC class I molecule, and the Fc region of IgG2a. This fusion protein is expected to attach the H-2K^d molecule to the surface of murine macrophage （MФ） through its Fc portion binding to Fc receptor （FcR） of MФ. cDNAs coding for the extracellular domains of H-2K^d and the Fc region of IgG2a were cloned respectively, and then recombined into plasmid pcDNA3.1（＋）. The H-2K^d/IgG2aFc protein was expressed by the plasmid-transfected cell line J558L, and purified from its supernatant with a Staphylococcal Protein A （SPA） column. The fusion protein showed a 58.4 kDa band as revealed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting with murine IgG-specific antibody, which consists with that expected for extracellular domains of H-2K^d heavy chain plus the Fc region of IgG2a. The sandwich ELISA assay with antibodies specific for Fc portion and for H-2K^d indicated the fusion protein consists of both Fc portion and H-2K^d. Peritoneal MФ of C57BL/6 （H-2K^b） can be stained with H-2K^d specific monoclonal antibody （mAb） after incubated with the H-2K^d/IgG2aFc fusion protein. These results demonstrate the fusion protein can be used to attach the H-2K^d molecule to the surface of murine MФ, and provides a novel means to manipulate the T cell recognized epitope on the surface of murine MФ, which can be applied to activate antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte （CTL）.     

The hemolytic activity of (Fab-Fc) recombinant immunoglobulins with specificity for the sheep red blood cells

Antibody-like molecules were formed by artificial recombination of proteolytic IgG fragments (Fab′ with anti-SRBC activity, and Fc) and used for studies concerning the complement fixation. Such molecules, when composed of single Fab′ bound to Fc fragment appeared inactive, while species containing two Fab′ fragments revealed the hemolytic activity.The results were discussed and interpreted, assuming that the interaction of Fab domains with C_H2 domains in the Fc fragment is a main structural effect influencing the binding of the complement.     

Fcγ receptors contribute to pyramidal cell death in the mouse hippocampus following local kainic acid injection

Recent studies have demonstrated the contribution of the gamma subunit of the Fc receptor of IgG (FcRγ) to neuronal death following ischemic injury and Parkinson's disease. We examined the role of FcRγ in hippocampal pyramidal cell death induced by kainic acid (KA). FcRγ-deficient mice (FcRγ−/−) and their FcRγ+/+ littermates (wild type, B6) received an injection of KA into the dorsal hippocampus. Pyramidal cell death was quantified 24 and 72 h after the injection. The number of survived pyramidal cells was significantly larger in FcRγ−/− mice than in B6 mice in both the CA1 and CA3. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent studies detected FcγRIIB protein in parvalbumin neurons, whereas FcγRIII and FcγRI proteins were detected in microglial cells. No activated microglial cells were detected 24 h after the KA injection in FcRγ−/− mice, whereas many activated microglial cells were present in B6 mice. The production of nitrotyrosine as well as of the inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 proteins, increased by 16 h after the KA injection in B6 mice. In addition, tissue plasminogen activator and metalloproteinase-2 proteins increased. By contrast, the magnitude of oxidative stress and the increase in protease expression were mild in FcRγ−/− mice. Co-injection of a neutralizing antibody against FcγRll and FcγRlll with KA abolished pyramidal cell death and microglial activation. In addition, the neutralizing antibody reduced oxidative stress and expression of proteases. These observations suggested a role for FcγRllB in parvalbumin neurons as well as FcRγ in microglia in pyramidal cell death.     

In vitro neutralization of HSV-2: inhibition by binding of normal IgG and purified Fc to virion Fc receptor (FcR)

We designed experiments to assess the effects of binding of the HSV-2 Fc receptor (FcR) to purified rabbit nonimmune IgG and purified Fc. Purified Fc (75 micrograms) or nonimmune IgG (100 micrograms) when bound to HSV-2 did not reduce infectivity but did protect the virions against thermal inactivation at 37 degrees C. However, preincubation of these two reagents with HSV-2 virions significantly protected against neutralization by specific anti-HSV-2, F(ab')2 purified rabbit antiserum. The blockage of neutralization and protection against thermal inactivation afforded by FcR-Fc interaction on HSV-2 virions provide a tenable mechanism to explain viral persistence in an immune host.     

Human myeloma IgG4 reveals relatively rigid asymmetric Y-like structure with different conformational stability of CH2 domains

Human IgG4 (hIgG4) has weak pro-inflammatory activity. The structural basis for this is still unclear. Here a 3D model of myeloma hIgG4 was created at ∼3 nm resolution using electron microscopy (EM) with negative staining and single-particle 3D reconstruction. The hIgG4 model reveals relatively rigid asymmetric Y-like structure. The model shows that one Fab subunit is closer to the upper portion of the Fc subunit (C_H2 domain) than the other Fab. This is in agreement with X-ray crystallography and X-ray/neutron scattering, recently published by others. The same hIgG4 sample was studied with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fluorescence. The thermodynamics and fluorescence observations indicate that one C_H2 domain displays less conformational stability than the other. This finding is consistent with the flipping of one C_H2 domain, observed in pembrolizumab (recombinant hIgG4) by X-ray crystallography. The specific feature of hIgG4 C_H2 domains together with relatively rigid asymmetric Y-like structure, in which one Fab subunit is closer to the upper portion of the Fc subunit (C_H2 domain) than the other Fab, can explain the unique biological properties of hIgG4, such as its weak pro-inflammatory activity.     

The herpes simplex virus type 1 Fc receptor discriminates between IgG1 allotypes

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) expresses a complex of two virally encoded glycoproteins, gE and gl, which is capable of binding nonimmune human IgG. The gE-gl complex has thus become known as an Fc receptor (FcR), which reportedly binds human IgG subclasses in the order IgG4 > IgG1 > or = IgG2 and does not bind IgG3 from many individuals. There is, however, allelic variation in the genes encoding the human IgG1 heavy chain constant region and this gives rise to allotypes of IgG1. Using recombinant monoclonal IgG molecules of known isotype and mutants thereof we have unexpectedly discovered that the HSV-1 FcR discriminates between IgG1 allotypes. This is evidence of functional differences between IgG1 allotypes that may account for their distribution in populations. Furthermore, these findings suggest HSV-1 FcR binding sites on the IgG molecule some distance from the proposed binding site in the CH2-CH3 domain interface.     

IgG inhibits the increase of platelet-associated C3 stimulated by anti-platelet antibodies

We investigated the increase of platelet-associated IgG and complement component 3 (C₃) caused by the in vitro action of anti-platelet MoAbs, and the effect of mouse and human IgG on these events. Anti-glycoprotein IIb/IIIa and anti-glycoprotein Ib MoAbs caused a slight increase of C₃, but not of platelet-associated IgG. In contrast, anti-CD9 and anti-Fcγ II receptor MoAbs caused an increase of both platelet-associated C₃ and IgG. In particular, three MoAbs which activated the complement system caused a marked increase of C₃. When platelet-rich plasma was treated with aspirin and prostaglandin E₁ before incubation with antibodies, the increase of platelet-associated IgG was inhibited in all cases. In contrast, the increase of platelet-associated C₃ was scarcely influenced. These results suggest that the binding to platelets of platelet-activating antibodies caused the increase expression of IgG molecules on the platelet surface and a possible increase of platelet-associated IgG. However, the increase of platelet-associated C₃ appeared to depend on specific characteristics of the antibodies tested, such as a complement-activating effect. In addition, intact mouse or human IgG inhibited the increase of platelet-associated C₃ caused by complement-activating antibodies, while F(ab')₂ mouse or human IgG had no such effect. This suggested that the Fc portion of IgG may block the increase of C₃ mediated by anti-platelet antibodies.     

The extended hinge region of IgG3 is not required for high phagocytic capacity mediated by Fcγ receptors,but the heavy chains must be disulfide bonded

Feγ receptor (FcγR) phagocytosis and respiratory burst were induced by chimeric mouse-human anti-(4-hydroxy-5-iodo-3-nitrophenyl) acetyl IgG3 antibodies with mutations in hinge and/or in C_H1 region. IgG3 mutants with different hinge length ranging from 47 to 0 amino acids, an IgG3 molecule with an artificial hinge of just one cysteine residue (HM-1), and two hybrid IgG3 molecules with IgG4 hinge or IgG4 C_H1-hinge were tested. Using the monocytic cell line U937 as effector cells, the mutated IgG3 molecules were very similar, revealing high activity, while the IgG3/IgG4 hybrids revealed a slightly reduced activity. However, the hingeless (0-h) mutant was negative, except after interferon-γ stimulation when it became slightly positive. Interestingly, HM-1 was as active as the IgG3 mutants. With polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) as effector cells we obtained some day-to-day variations, but all the IgG3 mutants were highly active, with the two shortest hinge mutants somewhat less active The IgG3/IgG4 hybrid molecules revealed an intermediate activity, while IgG4 wild-type and the 0-h mutant were negative. However, the HM-1 molecule revealed an activity similar to that of the IgG3 mutants. The phagocytic activity of U937 was inhibited by monomeric IgG, indicating the importance of FcγR III. In contrast, with PMN both blockage of FcγRII and cleavage of FcγRIII were required to significantly reduce the phagocytosis and respiratory burst, thus showing that both receptors contribute to the effect. These results demonstrate that the extended IgG3 hinge region is not necessary for a high phagocytic activity and that the major structural importance of the hinge is to connect the two heavy chains in this region.     

A small domain (6.5 kDa) of bacterial protein G inhibits C3 covalent binding to the Fc region of IgG immune complexes

Attachment of the complement component C3 to antigen-antibody (Ag-Ab) complexes (immune complexes, IC) is the key molecular event responsible for the elimination of many Ag in the form of Ag-Ab-C3b. The CH1 domain and the Fc region of the Ab, which have previously been involved in the binding of C3b, are also the targets of several bacterial IgG-binding proteins, particularly proteins G and A. Here we describe the ability of a small recombinant protein G domain (B2; 6.5 kDa) to inhibit the covalent binding of C3b to the Fc portion of IgG without affecting the binding to the Fab part. Protein G (B2 domain) produced a remarkable inhibition of covalent binding of C3b to IC formed with rabbit IgG, but none with the F(ab ′ )₂ fragment, indicating that B2 interferes with the C3b binding to the Fc region. A weak inhibition was observed with IC formed with mouse IgG2b which preferentially binds B2 domain on the CH1 domain of the Fab. To confirm these data, recombinant single-chain Ab devoid of CH1 domains (scAb), and including the rabbit or human Fc portion (hinge-CH2-CH3), were produced and used to form IC. Protein G-B2 domain inhibited C3b binding to IC formed with scAb of either human or rabbit constant regions, supporting the view of a specific blockade of C3b binding to the Fc region. A similar inhibition of C3b binding was observed using protein A instead of protein G B2 domain and the same set of IC. On the CH1 domain, C3b and B2 bind on opposite faces, and therefore do not interfere with each other in their binding. However, B2 domain bound to the inter-CH2-CH3 region impedes the C3b binding to the Fc. This inhibition clarifies the specificity of C3b for the different regions of IgG and explains how bacterial IgG-binding proteins provide the bacteria with a mechanism of evasion from the opsonizing action of complement and contribute to the virulence. This could be a general mechanism of escape because protein G binds the majority of mammalian Ig.     

CH2 and CH3 domain deleted IgG1 paraproteins inhibit differently Fc receptor mediated binding and cytolysis

Domain deleted paraproteins are suitable tools to study the interaction between IgG domains and Fc receptor (FcR) binding sites. The effect of the C gamma 2 or C gamma 3 domain deleted paraproteins was compared on antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and on FcR mediated rosette formation. The C gamma 2 domain deleted paraprotein (TIM) had no significant effect on lymphocyte or monocyte mediated ADCC, while the C gamma 3 domain deleted paraprotein (SIZ) inhibited both types of cytotoxicity. FcR dependent rosette formation was also inhibited by SIZ but TIM was ineffective. The data further confirm our previous results suggesting a significant role of C gamma 2 domain in the transfer of killing signal in ADCC and that of C gamma 3 domain in the high affinity binding to lymphocyte FcR.