Immunogenicity and antigenicity of immunoglobulins: detection of human immunoglobulin light-chain carbohydrate, using concanavalin A

Endoglycosidase treatment abrogates IgG arthritogenicity: Importance of IgG glycosylation in arthritis

The glycosylation status of IgG has been implicated in the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis. Earlier, we reported the identification of a novel secreted endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase (EndoS), secreted by Streptococcus pyogenes that specifically hydrolyzes the beta-1,4-di-N-acetylchitobiose core of the asparagine-linked glycan of human IgG. Here, we analyzed the arthritogenicity of EndoS-treated collagen type II (CII)-specific mouse mAb in vivo. Endoglycosidase treatment of the antibodies inhibited the induction of arthritis in (BALB/c x B10.Q) F1 mice and induced a milder arthritis in B10.RIII mice as compared with the severe arthritis induced by non-treated antibodies. Furthermore, EndoS treatment did not affect the binding of IgG to CII and their ability to activate complement, but it resulted in reduced IgG binding to FcgammaR and disturbed the formation of stable immune complexes. Hence, the asparagine-linked glycan on IgG plays a crucial role in the development of arthritis.

Electrophoretic analysis of Bence Jones proteinuria

The electrophoresis of Bence Jones proteinuria (BJP) by urinary protein electrophoresis (UPE), immunoelectrophoresis (IE), immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE), sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), isoelectric focusing (IEF), two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) is described. UPE, IE and IFE are briefly discussed as clinical laboratory methods for the detection and typing of free light chain (LC) whilst the high resolution electrophoretic methods (SDS-PAGE, IEF, 2-DE and CE) are considered in greater detail as research tools for molecular characterisation of free LC and its association with nephrotoxicity. Refinements of sample processing designed to improve the standardisation of analysis of BJP by high resolution electrophoretic methods are reported.

Monoclonal anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibodies protect mouse and human cells from TNF cytotoxicity

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a cytokine produced by macrophages which mediates septic shock. TNF is also associated with anti-tumor activity and is cytotoxic to many cell lines in vitro. While the clinical efficacy of anti-TNF antibodies has yet to be established, such antibodies may prevent TNF action. We have evaluated three murine monoclonal anti-TNF antibodies for their capacity to protect mouse and human cells from the cytotoxic effects of human TNF. Mouse WEHI 164 cells were tested because of their known high sensitivity to TNF. Several human cells lines were also examined: U937, HeLa, MRC5, and ME180. Two antibodies protected mouse and human cells from the cytotoxic action of TNF. The neutralizing activity was also present in the Fab fragment and insensitive to the presence of carbohydrate on the antibody. The third antibody had substantially less TNF-neutralizing activity. The relative ability of these monoclonal antibodies to protect both mouse and human cell lines from TNF-induced cell death may be an effective indicator of their in vivo efficacy.

Aglycosylation of human IgG1 and IgG3 monoclonal antibodies can eliminate recognition by human cells expressing Fc gamma RI and/or Fc gamma RII receptors

Aglycosylated human IgG1 and IgG3 monoclonal anti-D (Rh) and human IgG1 and IgG3 chimaeric anti-5-iodo-4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenacetyl (anti-NIP) monoclonal antibodies produced in the presence of tunicamycin have been compared with the native glycosylated proteins with respect to recognition by human Fc gamma RI and/or Fc gamma RII receptors on U937, Daudi or K562 cells. Human red cells sensitized with glycosylated IgG3 form rosettes via Fc gamma RI with 60% of U937 cells. Inhibition of rosette formation required greater than 35-fold concentrated more aglycosylated than glycosylated human monoclonal anti-D (Rh) antibody. Unlabelled polyclonal human IgG and glycosylated monoclonal IgG1 and anti-D (Rh) antibody inhibited the binding of 125I-labelled monomeric human IgG binding by U937 Fc gamma RI at concentrations greater than 50-fold lower than the aglycosylated monoclonal IgG1 anti-D (Rh) (K50 approximately 3 x 10(-9) M and approximately 6 x 10(-7) M respectively). Similar results were obtained using glycosylated and aglycosylated monoclonal human IgG1 or IgG3 chimaeric anti-NIP antibody-sensitized red cells rosetting with Fc gamma RI-/Fc gamma RII+ Daudi and K562 cells. Rosette formation could be inhibited by the glycosylated form (at greater than 10(-6) M) but not by the aglycosylated form. Haemagglutination analysis using a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies specific for epitopes located on C gamma 2, C gamma 3 or C gamma 2/C gamma 3 interface regions did not demonstrate differences in Fc conformation between the glycosylated or aglycosylated human monoclonal antibodies. These data suggest that the Fc gamma RI and Fc gamma RII sites on human IgG are highly conformation-dependent and that the carbohydrate moiety serves to stabilize the Fc structure rather than interacting directly with Fc receptors.

Interaction of human IgG chimeric antibodies with the human FcRI and FcRII receptors: requirements for antibody-mediated host cell-target cell interaction

Chimeric monoclonal antibodies (McAb), specific for the hapten 5-iodo-4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenacetyl (NIP), expressing human IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 subclass constant domains, have been examined for their ability to interact with the human FcRII receptor. Human red blood cells (RBC) sensitized by each of these McAbs have been assayed for their ability to form rosettes with the human histiocytic lymphoma U937 cell line, human B cell line Daudi and erythroblastoid K562 cell line. IgG1 and IgG3 sensitized RBC formed significant rosettes with the FcR- and FcRII+ Daudi and K562 cell lines, the percentage of cells forming rosettes being directly proportional to the degree of sensitization of the RBC. Bromelin treating Daudi cells did not alter this pattern of reactivity, whereas bromelin treated FcRI+ and FcRII+ U937 cells formed significant resettes with IgG1, IgG3 and IgG4 sensitized RBC, demonstrating a difference in the IgG subclass specificity between human FcRI and FcRII. Murine IgG2b anti-NIP sensitized RBC did not form rosettes with any cell line tested; however, RBC sensitized by some members of a panel of murine IgG1 McAb, specific for the glycophorin A molecule, were able to form rosettes with Daudi, U937 and K562 cells. This interaction was enhanced by bromelin treating the Daudi or U937 cells and can be correlated to the disposition of the epitopes recognized, relative to the target cell membrane, those McAbs recognizing epitopes furthest from the RBC surface being most effective in interacting with FcRII. The data are interpreted in terms of a simple model for antibody-mediated cell--cell interaction.