How Ligand Valency Affects Antibody Transport in Cells
Author Information
Author(s): Tesar Devin B, Tiangco Noreen E, Bjorkman Pamela J
Primary Institution: California Institute of Technology
Hypothesis
Is ligand bivalency required for FcRn-mediated transport?
Conclusion
Ligand bivalency is not strictly required for transcytosis or recycling, but bivalent ligands are transported more efficiently than monovalent ones.
Supporting Evidence
- rFcRn-MDCK cells can transcytose Fc and IgG in both directions.
- More hdFc than wtFc is trafficked to lysosomes and degraded.
- Binding studies showed that wtFc has a higher affinity for rFcRn than hdFc.
Takeaway
This study shows that antibodies can be transported across cell barriers, and having two binding sites makes this process work better than having just one.
Methodology
The study used polarized Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells expressing rat FcRn to compare the transport of bivalent and monovalent FcRn ligands.
Limitations
The study did not observe specific binding or transcytosis of the monovalent ligand albumin, suggesting limitations in the model system for studying monovalent ligands.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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