Activation of these cells occurs when the receptor binds to IgE-antigen complexes. Binding leads to a series of cellular events that culminate in the release of pharmacologically active substances that contribute to the clinical signs and symptoms of allergy. Human peripheral blood leukocytes obtained from atopic donors are transferred into mice with severe combined immunodeficiency.
Additional studies are in progress to explore the mechanism of the receptor activity.
An additional goal in this laboratory is to develop an antibody-based strategy to block or attenuate the allergic response. Binding of the Fc region of IgG antibodies to low-affinity Fc receptors triggers important effector functions in the immune system. To better understand the nature of the ligand-receptor interaction, we produced and purified recombinant Fc RIII from both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. The affinity of human IgG3 for aglycosylated CD16 was significantly greater than that for fully glycosylated CD16. Immunol., in press.