Author(s)

Eric D. Bruder, John O. Richards, Karen M. Michel, Martin Oaks

Transplant Research Laboratory, Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA.

The effector functions elicited by the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies are subject to variation by the presence of terminal sialic acid (Sia) residues at asparagine-297 (Asn-297). We have previously shown that the sialic acid-containing (Sia⁺) fraction of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) influences cell surface marker expression and cytokine/ chemokine secretion during the differentiation and maturation of human dendritic cells (DC). The present study examined the effects of Sia⁺ IgG on human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-derived monocyte and macrophage surface marker expression and cytokine/chemokine secretion. Sia⁺ IgG induced increased expression of CD80 and dendritic cell immunoreceptor (DCIR) on monocytes, whereas the expression of HLA-DR was decreased. In addition, the production of IL-6, TNFα, IL-1β, and CXCL1 by monocytes was profoundly increased by treatment with Sia⁺ IgG. Sia⁺ IgG also increased the expression of cell surface markers associated with macrophage polarization (e.g. CD40 and CD206) on monocytes. In macrophage-colony stimulating factor (MCSF) generated macrophages, Sia⁺ IgG induced increased production of numerous cytokines/ chemokines including IL-6, TNFα, CXCL1, and IL-10, and the expression of the macrophage surface marker CD163. Our data extended prior observations of Sia⁺ IgG on DC function and showed that Sia⁺ IgG was able to differentially modulate multiple pathways in monocytes and macrophages. Our data indicate that the Sia⁺ fraction of IVIG possesses the ability to influence inflammatory processes in multiple immune cell types and induces novel signatures in cell surface marker expression and cytokine/chemokine production.

Anti-Inflammatory, IgG, IVIG, Monocytes, Macrophages, Sialic Acid

D. Bruder, E. , O. Richards, J. , M. Michel, K. and Oaks, M. (2016) Differential Effects of Alternative Glycoforms of IgG on Human Monocytes and Macrophages: Sialylated IgG Induces Novel Expression Signatures of Cell Surface Markers, Cytokines, and Chemokines. Open Journal of Immunology, 6, 49-62. doi: 10.4236/oji.2016.62005.