A Novel Polymorphism of FcgammaRIIIa (CD16) Alters Receptor Function and Predisposes to Autoimmune Disease

A novel polymorphism in the extracellular domain 2 (EC2) of FcgammaRIIIA affects ligand binding by natural killer (NK) cells and monocytes from genotyped homozygous normal donors independently of receptor expression. The nonconservative T to G substitution at nucleotide 559 predicts a change of phenylalanine (F) to valine (V) at amino acid position 176. Compared with F/F homozygotes, FcgammaRIIIa expressed on NK cells and monocytes in V/V homozygotes bound more IgG1 and IgG3 despite identical levels of receptor expression. In response to a standard aggregated human IgG stimulus, FcgammaRIIIa engagement on NK cells from V/V (high-binding) homozygotes led to a larger rise in [Ca2+]i, a greater level of NK cell activation, and a more rapid induction of activation-induced cell death (by apoptosis). Investigation of an independently phenotyped normal cohort revealed that all donors with a low binding phenotype are F/F homozygotes, while all phenotypic high binding donors have at least one V allele. Initial analysis of 200 patients with SLE indicates a strong association of the low binding phenotype with disease, especially in patients with nephritis who have an underrepresentation of the homozygous high binding phenotype. Thus, the FcgammaRIIIa polymorphism at residue 176 appears to impact directly on human biology, an effect which may extend beyond autoimmune disease characterized by immune complexes to host defense mechanisms

Pravastatin prevents miscarriages in mice: role of tissue factor in placental and fetal injury

Pregnancy loss and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are serious pregnancy complications, and the triggers and mediators of placental and fetal damage are not completely understood. Using a mouse model of recurrent spontaneous miscarriages (DBA/2-mated CBA/J mice) that shares features with human recurrent miscarriage and fetal growth restriction, we identified tissue factor (TF) as an essential participating factor in placental and fetal injury. We have previously shown that C5a releases antiangiogenic molecule sFlt-1 in monocytes that causes defective placental development and fetal death in DBA/2-mated CBA/J mice. In this study, we found that TF not only activates the coagulation pathway, but it also mediates sFlt-1 release in monocytes causing defective placental development and fetal death. Blockade of TF with a monoclonal antibody inhibited sFlt-1 release, prevented the pathological activation of the coagulation pathway, restored placental blood flow, prevented placental oxidative stress, and rescued pregnancies. We also demonstrated that pravastatin, by down-regulating TF expression on monocytes and trophoblasts, prevented placental damage and protected pregnancies in DBA/2-mated CBA/J mice. These studies indicate that TF is an important mediator in fetal death and growth restriction and that statins may be a good treatment for women with recurrent miscarriages and IUGR

Differences among immune complexes: association of C1q in SLE immune complexes with renal disease.

Abstract Studies that made use of multiple assay systems demonstrated increased levels of immune complexes (IC) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but no consistent correlations of IC concentration to patterns or activity of disease have been observed. Furthermore, consistent associations between qualitative differences in IC and disease manifestations have been elusive. IC interaction with erythrocytes and mononuclear phagocytic cells is another variable in SLE that may also mediate some of the biological effects of IC. The present report concerns studies of the composition of purified IC obtained from individuals with SLE and other rheumatic diseases; a 64,000 dalton component identified as the A-B subunit of C1q was detected in purified IC from 27 of 51 SLE patients (53%). The presence of this 64,000 dalton component was not related to either IC concentration or to the serum C1q level. However, the presence of the C1q component in isolated SLE IC did correlate with the presence of renal disease (p less than 0.02). These observations are interpreted relative to a recently described kinetic model of IC clearance.</jats:p

Human Fc gamma RIII (CD16). Isoforms with distinct allelic expression, extracellular domains, and membrane linkages on polymorphonuclear and natural killer cells.

Abstract Human Fc gamma RIII (CD16), a low-affinity receptor expressed on several different cell types, has a polymorphism on polymorphonuclear cells (Fc gamma RIIIPMN) identified by the NA1 and NA2 markers. Inasmuch as this polymorphism has functional consequences, an understanding of the structural biology of Fc gamma RIII may provide important insight into receptor function. We analyzed Fc gamma RIIIPMN by SDS-PAGE and found that receptor from individuals allotyped for either NA1 or NA2 contained only one protein after removal of N-linked glycosylations (19 and 21 kDa respectively) whereas receptor from NA1/2 individuals contained both bands. Because some reports indicate that digestion of Fc gamma RIII on NK cells (Fc gamma RIIINK) with N-glycanase also results in two bands on SDS-PAGE, we investigated Fc gamma RIIINK to explore the possibility of a corresponding allelic polymorphism in this receptor. Contrary to expectation, Fc gamma RIIINK from all donors irrespective of their NA allotype contained two bands (20 and 24 kDa) on SDS-PAGE after deglycosylation. In addition, those distinct epitopes on the extracellular domain of Fc gamma RIIIPMN found with mAb B73.1 and CLB gran 11 in association with the NA allotypic differences are expressed (or not expressed) on Fc gamma RIIINK independent of donor NA allotype. Fc gamma RIIIPMN and Fc gamma RIIINK differ at the protein level as they have different m.w. (glycosylated and deglycosylated), different epitopes in the extracellular domain (not attributable to tissue-specific glycosylation), and differential expression of the NA allelic protein polymorphism. Although the membrane anchor of Fc gamma RIIIPMN is a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C sensitive glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol linkage, Fc gamma RIIINK is insensitive to phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. However, a form of Fc gamma RIIINK is released from NK cells upon incubation at 37 degrees C. Thus, the basis for the two bands in Fc gamma RIIINK after N-linked deglycosylation is neither coexpression of two molecular isoforms with different membrane anchors nor an identifiable allelic polymorphism in m.w. restricted to Fc gamma RIIINK (p less than 10(-6)). The differences between the two receptors indicate that, independent of cell anchor type, PMN and mononuclear cells must have different molecular isoforms. The allelic variants, different isoforms, alternative anchor mechanisms and release processes provide for an extensive genetic and regulatory diversity in Fc gamma RIII function.</jats:p

Characterization of sequential immune complexes in infective endocarditis by Western blot analysis.

Abstract A patient with cutaneous vasculitis during infective endocarditis due to Lactobacillus casei was studied. Immune complexes (IC) were isolated from serum at the time of diagnosis and after 4 wk of therapy. Purification of IC used differential polyethylene glycol precipitation and competitive binding to staphylococcal protein A. In situ radioiodination of IC was performed, followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Anti-IC antisera were raised in rabbits by immunization with purified IC. IC were characterized by SDS-PAGE followed by electrophoretic transfer to nitrocellulose, incubation with antiserum and then with 125I protein A, and autoradiography. Although early and late IC differed quantitatively, there were no differentiating immunochemical features. Both IC contained a 60,000 dalton component that did not react with preimmune serum nor with anti-normal human serum. This component reacted with antiserum rendered specific for L. casei by affinity chromatography. The restricted antigen-antibody representation in IC contrasted with a wider panel of antibody activity in patient serum. The Western blot analysis proves to be an ideal method for the characterization of IC because of its sensitivity, dissociative capability, and preservation of immunoreactivity. IC isolated at a time removed from the original antigenic challenge may provide insight into the nature of the inciting antigen.</jats:p

Binding of immunoglobulin G aggregates and immune complexes in human sera to Staphylococci containing protein A.

Using the Cowan I strain of Staphylococcus aureus, we compared the binding properties of human monomeric immunoglobulin (Ig)G and oligomeric or complexed IgG. Heat-aggregated IgG served as a model for complexed IgG and heat-killed, formalin-fixed S. aureus (StaphA) as a cellular receptor for IgG, in determining the parameters for oligomeric and monomeric binding. Because of its capacity for multipoint attachment, complexed IgG binding was favored over monomeric IgG binding, and this preferential binding was demonstrated kinetically in equivalent forward rates of binding but in a much slower rate of release from StaphA receptors. From binding studies, we determined which conditions maximize complexes IgG binding and minimized monomeric IgG binding and applied them to the development of an assay for aggregated IgG and immune complexes in human sera. The StaphA binding assay that was devised is quantitative, sensitive, and not complement dependent. It is relatively unaffected by factors such as heparin, complement fixation, native antibodies, and immunoglobulin concentrations, but is affected by the presence of rheumatoid factors. It compares favorably with two other complement-dependent assays of immune complexes, the 125I-Clq binding assay and the Raji cell assay, in terms of sensitivity and the size of immune complexes detected. Studies on the potential of the assay for detecting, isolating, and characterizing immune complexes in biological fluids are presented