A major pathway in the clearance of pathogens involves the coating of the pathogen with specific antibodies, and the binding of the antibody Fc region to cell receptors. This can trigger engulfment of the pathogen by phagocytes or lysis by killer cells. By oligonucleotide site-directed mutagenesis we have engineered a single amino acid change in a mouse IgG2b antibody (Glu 235----Leu) which now enables the antibody to bind to the FcRI (high affinity) receptor on human monocytes with a 100-fold improvement in affinity. This indicates that Leu 235 is a major determinant in the binding of antibody to FcRI and that the receptor may interact directly with the region linking the CH2 domain to the hinge. Tailoring the affinity of antibodies for cell receptors could help dissect their role in clearing pathogen.

Recombinant versions of the seven equine IgG subclasses were expressed in CHO cells. All assembled into intact immunoglobulins stabilised by disulphide bridges, although, reminiscent of human IgG4, a small proportion of equine IgG4 and IgG7 were held together by non-covalent bonds alone. All seven IgGs were N-glycosylated. In addition IgG3 appeared to be O-glycosylated and could bind the lectin jacalin. Staphylococcal protein A displayed weak binding for the equine IgGs in the order: IgG1 > IgG3 > IgG4 > IgG7 > IgG2 = IgG5 > IgG6. Streptococcal protein G bound strongly to IgG1, IgG4 and IgG7, moderately to IgG3, weakly to IgG2 and IgG6, and not at all to IgG5. Analysis of antibody effector functions revealed that IgG1, IgG3, IgG4, IgG5 and IgG7, but not IgG2 and IgG6, were able to elicit a strong respiratory burst from equine peripheral blood leukocytes, predicting that the former five IgG subclasses are able to interact with Fc receptors on effector cells. IgG1, IgG3, IgG4 and IgG7, but not IgG2, IgG5 and IgG6, were able to bind complement C1q and activate complement via the classical pathway. The differential effector function capabilities of the subclasses suggest that, for maximum efficacy, equine vaccine strategies should seek to elicit antibody responses of the IgG1, IgG3, IgG4, and IgG7 subclasses.

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Here we unravel the structural features of human IgM and IgA that govern their interaction with the human Fca/l receptor (hFca/lR). Ligand polymerization status was crucial for the interaction, because hFca/lR binding did not occur with monomeric Ab of either class. hFca/lR bound IgM with an affinity in the nanomolar range, whereas the affinity for dimeric IgA (dIgA) was tenfold lower. Panels of mutant IgM and dIgA were used to identify regions critical for hFca/lR binding. IgM binding required contributions from both Cl3 and Cl4 Fc domains, whereas for dIgA, an exposed loop in the Ca3 domain was crucial. This loop, comprising residues Pro440-Phe443, lies at the Fc domain interface and has been implicated in the binding of host receptors FcaRI and polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR), as well as IgA-binding proteins produced by certain pathogenic bacteria. Substitutions within the Pro440-Phe443 loop resulted in loss of hFca/lR binding. Furthermore, secretory component (SC, the extracellular portion of pIgR) and bacterial IgA-binding proteins were shown to inhibit the dIgA-hFca/lR interaction. Therefore, we have identified a motif in the IgA-Fc inter-domain region critical for hFca/lR interaction, and highlighted the multi-functional nature of a key site for protein-protein interaction at the IgA Fc domain interface.Key words: Human Fca/m receptor . IgA . IgM IntroductionA receptor for IgM and IgA, termed Fca/m receptor (Fca/mR), was first described in the mouse where it is constitutively expressed on the majority of B cells and macrophages [1]. Mouse Fca/mR (mFca/mR) can mediate endocytosis of IgM-coated targets, and may contribute to the primary stages of the immune response to microbes. It has been suggested that mFca/mR, due to its high affinity for IgM and intermediate affinity for IgA, may assist also in the maintenance of plasma concentrations of IgM and IgA [2]. Although there is no significant homology between Fca/mR and other known proteins, the N-terminal Ig-like domain of Fca/mR Ã These authors contributed equally to this work. Certain mAb raised against mFca/mR have been found to bind to a peptide encompassing the region from mFca/mR's Ig-like domain that corresponds to the Ig-binding motif in domain 1 of pIgR [6]. Interestingly, these mAb can block binding of IgA and IgM to mFca/mR. The fact that these same mAb cross-react with hFca/mR, which carries the conserved motif in its Ig-like domain, suggests that the site for IgM and IgA on hFca/mR lies in this same region. In contrast, the site(s) on human IgM and IgA that interacts with hFca/mR is unknown. To gain a better understanding of the structural requirements for the interaction of human IgA and IgM with hFca/mR, we have produced recombinant dIgA and pentameric IgM and have adopted a mutational approach to identify individual residues on the Fc involved in interaction with hFca/mR. We demonstrate that both the Cm3 and Cm4 domains of IgM are required for binding to the receptor, and that residues at the Fc inter-domain region of dIgA are critical for hFca...