CD16. Developmentally regulated IgG Fc receptors on cultured human monocytes.

We have demonstrated that one Fc receptor for IgG (FcR) (CD16) on cultured human monocytes appears to be a developmentally regulated membrane protein. This receptor appears to contain less carbohydrate (if any) than does its counterpart on human neutrophils. Expression of CD16 on cultured monocytes increases with respect to both percentage of positive cells and numbers of sites per cell with length of time in culture. This was in contrast to expression of other types of FcRs that either decreased (CDw32) or did not change (FcRp72). Unlike an FcR that binds monomeric IgG (FcRp72), expression of CD16 on monocytes from most normal individuals was not influenced by IFN-gamma. After 14 d in culture, CD16 appeared to be the predominant FcR on cultured monocytes, and was capable of mediating both ligand attachment and phagocytosis. These findings support the hypothesis that CD16 plays an important role in mediating immunophagocytosis.

Blockade of clearance of immune complexes by an anti-Fc gamma receptor monoclonal antibody.

Clearance of immune complexes by the mononuclear phagocyte system is important for maintaining normal host defenses against bacterial and viral assault (1), but also contributes to the pathogenesis of a variety of immune- mediated diseases . For example, removal from the circulation of IgG-coated erythrocytes and platelets by the MPS is the sine qua non of immune-mediated cytopenias (2, 3). On the other hand, abnormally decreased removal by the MPS of smaller, soluble immune complexes may play a role in the pathogenesis of immune complex-mediated tissue damage found in such autoimmune diseases as SLE (4). Although the physicochemical nature and the size of immune complexes can influence rates of clearance and sites of deposition (reviewed in 5), interactions between immune complexes and the MPS in vivo are poorly understood. The inability to directly measure binding or internalization of immune complexes by cells in the liver and spleen has made the analysis of the molecular basis of immune complex clearance very difficult . Receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (FcgammaR) and for complement (CR) undoubtedly play a role in the removal of immune complexes, but the relative importance of these receptors is not known.

Characterization of polymorphic forms of Fc receptor III on human neutrophils.

We characterized Fc receptor III (FcR III) on human neutrophils and found it to be heavily glycosylated and polymorphic. In some individuals, FcR III that had been digested with N-glycanase appeared after SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions as two bands with apparent molecular masses of 33 and 29 kD. In other individuals, N-glycanase-treated FcR III appeared as a single band with an Mr of either 33 or 29 kD. After SDS-PAGE of N-glycanase-treated FcR III under nonreducing conditions, the apparent Mr of each structural type was decreased, suggesting the presence of intramolecular disulfide bonds. Digestion of the 33-kD band and the 29-kD band with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease yielded similar, but not identical, peptide maps. Thus, at least two polymorphic forms of FcR III are expressed on human neutrophils. The structural polymorphism of neutrophil FcR III correlated with previously described antigenic polymorphisms detected by monoclonal antibody Gran 11 and by alloantisera which recognize epitopes of the biallelic, neutrophil antigen (NA) system. Individuals whose neutrophils expressed the two-band structural type of FcR III were NA1NA2 heterozygotes. Individuals whose neutrophils expressed the single 33-kD band structural type were NA2NA2 homozygotes, and individuals whose neutrophils expressed the single 29-kD band structural type were NA1NA1 homozygotes. These findings indicate that antigenic and structural polymorphisms of human neutrophil FcR III are related and can be accounted for by differences at the level of primary protein structure.

In vivo handling of soluble complement fixing Ab/dsDNA immune complexes in chimpanzees.

We used soluble, C-fixing antibody/dsDNA IC to investigate immune complex (IC) handling and erythrocyte (E)-to-phagocyte transfer in chimpanzees. IC bound efficiently to chimpanzee E in vitro and showed minimal release with further in vitro incubation in the presence of serum in EDTA (less than or equal to 15% within 1 h). These IC also bound rapidly to E in vivo (70-80% binding within 1 min) and did not show detectable release from E in the peripheral circulation after infusion in vivo (less than or equal to 2% within 1 h). Despite such slow C-mediated release of IC from E, IC were rapidly stripped from E by the mononuclear phagocyte system (T50 for E-IC1500 = 5 min) without sequestration of E. Treatment of the chimpanzees with the anti-Fc gamma RIII MAb 3G8 impaired the clearance of infused IC. This effect was most evident on the fraction of IC500 which did not bind to E and which presumably had captured less C3b (pre-MAb 3G8 T50: 45 min vs. post-MAb 3G8 T50: 180 min). With IC bound in vitro to E before infusion, anti-Fc gamma RIII MAb treatment led to significant amounts of non-E bound IC detectable in the circulation. Thus, the anti-Fc gamma RIII MAb appeared to interfere with the ability of fixed tissue mononuclear phagocytes to take up/or retain IC after their release from E. Both rapid stripping of IC from E, despite slow complement-mediated release of IC from E in the peripheral circulation, and blockade of IC clearance with anti-Fc gamma RIII MAb indicate that the interaction of IC with the fixed tissue phagocyte involves qualitatively different mechanisms than the interaction of IC with E. Fc gamma receptors appear to play an important role in the transfer and retention of IC by the phagocyte.

Sequences of complementary DNAs that encode the NA1 and NA2 forms of Fc receptor III on human neutrophils.

Two polymorphic forms of Fc receptor III (FcR III) are expressed on human neutrophils. These differ with respect to their apparent molecular masses after digestion with N-glycanase, and with respect to their reactivity with MAb Gran 11 and alloantisera which recognize determinants (NA1 and NA2) of the biallelic neutrophil antigen (NA) system. To determine the molecular basis for this polymorphism we isolated RNA from neutrophils of NA1NA1 and NA2NA2 homozygotes and synthesized corresponding cDNAs. cDNAs encoding FcR III were then amplified using the polymerase chain reaction, cloned, and sequenced. The cDNA that encodes FcR III on NA1NA1 neutrophils differed from the cDNA that encodes FcR III on NA2NA2 neutrophils at five nucleotides, predicting four amino acid substitutions. As a result, NA1 FcR III has only four potential N-linked glycosylation sites as compared with six in NA2 FcR III. The amino acid substitutions and differences in the number of potential N-linked glycosylation sites probably account for the different forms of neutrophil FcR III observed after digestion with N-glycanase and for the antigenic heterogeneity of this receptor.

An abnormality of the gene that encodes neutrophil Fc receptor III in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

In the course of examining the structure and function of Fc receptors on peripheral blood cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, we identified a patient whose neutrophils did not react with either monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies to Fc receptor III. However, neutrophils from the patient were comparable to neutrophils from healthy controls with respect to their expression of Fc receptor II, complement receptor 1, complement receptor 3, and the phosphatidylinositol-linked, complement regulatory protein, decay-accelerating factor. The abnormality of expression of Fc receptor III was limited to the patient's neutrophils (her natural killer cells reacted normally with anti-Fc receptor III antibodies), and was associated with abnormal recognition and binding of IgG-coated erythrocytes. Analysis of genomic DNA revealed evidence that failure of the patient's neutrophils to express Fc receptor III was most likely due to an abnormality of the gene that encodes this receptor.

Molecular basis for a polymorphism involving Fc receptor II on human monocytes.

IgG Fc receptor II (Fc gamma RII) on human monocytes is polymorphic with respect to its appearance on gels after isoelectric focusing and with respect to its ability to mediate T lymphocyte proliferation induced by murine anti-CD3 mAb of the IgG1 isotype (i.e., its ability to bind murine IgG1). To determine the molecular basis for this polymorphism, we isolated total cellular RNA from PBMC of responders and nonresponders (defined by Leu-4-induced [3H] thymidine incorporation) and synthesized corresponding cDNA. Sequences encoding the extracellular domain of Fc gamma RII were then amplified using the Taq polymerase chain reaction. Amplified DNA fragments were cloned into pUC vectors, and sequenced. Analysis of clones from two nonresponders revealed a single base change (G for A) at position 519, which would result in the substitution of a histidine for an arginine at residue 133 in the mature Fc gamma RII protein. These findings suggest that the polymorphism involving human monocyte Fc gamma RII results from allelic variation of a single gene.

Human IgG Fc receptor (hFcRII; CD32) exists as multiple isoforms in macrophages, lymphocytes and IgG-transporting placental epithelium.

We previously isolated cDNA clones from a human monocyte library that encoded one member of a family of low-affinity surface receptors for the Fc domain of IgG (hFcRII-A). To investigate possible structural and functional heterogeneity among these receptors, we have now isolated two additional cDNAs (hFcRII-B and hFcRII-C) from a human placental library, placenta being a good source of FcR-bearing macrophages and epithelial cells. Three cDNAs encoded related but distinct transmembrane glycoproteins containing two immunoglobulin-like domains; however, transfected cells produced receptors that were indistinguishable on the basis of ligand binding or reactivity with anti-hFcRII monoclonal antibodies. The sequences of hFcRII-A and -B were most closely related and were identical except for several amino acid substitutions and one small internal deletion. While the ectodomain of hFcRII-C was identical to hFcRII-B, its cytoplasmic tail was unrelated but highly homologous to the corresponding domain of the receptor isoform (mFcRII-B2) found in murine macrophages. Thus, human FcRII may be derived from at least two alternatively spliced genes. Northern blots revealed little difference in the pattern of expression of hFcRII isoforms among various myeloid and lymphoid cells or cell lines. However, the blots--as well as in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry--demonstrated that hFcRII-C (along with a second monocyte marker, the c-fms encoded CSF-1 receptor) was expressed in placental syncytiotrophoblasts. Since syncytiotrophoblasts comprise the IgG-transporting epithelium of the placental villus, these findings suggest that FcR found in the immune system and in certain epithelia may be structurally or functionally related.