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Structural Biology and Functions of Immunoglobulins ©Dr. Colin R.A. Hewitt 2005-2006 Topic 1 Immunoglobulin Structure-Function Relationship Outline of Lectures • • • • • • • • • • Signalling antigen receptors on B cells - bifunctional antigen-binding secreted molecules Structural conservation and infinite variability - domain structure. The Immunoglobulin Gene Superfamily The immunoglobulin fold Framework and complementarity determining regions - hypervariable loops Modes of interactions with antigens Effector mechanisms and isotype – role of the Fc. Multimeric antibodies and multimerisation Characteristics and properties of each Ig isotype Ig receptors and their functions Immunoglobulin Structure-Function Relationship • Cell surface antigen receptor on B cells Allows B cells to sense their antigenic environment Connects extracellular space with intracellular signalling machinery • Secreted antibody Neutralisation Arming/recruiting effector cells Complement fixation Immunoglobulins are Bifunctional Proteins • Immunoglobulins must interact with a small number of specialised molecules Fc receptors on cells Complement proteins Intracellular cell signalling molecules • - whilst simultaneously recognising an infinite array of antigenic determinants. Immunoglobulin domains • Structural conservation and a capacity for infinite variability in a single molecule is provided by a DOMAIN structure. • Ig domains are derived from a single ancestral gene that has duplicated, diversified and been modified to endow an assortment of functional qualities on a common basic structure. • Ig domains are not restricted to immunoglobulins. • The most striking characteristic of the Ig domain is a disulphide bond - linked structure of 110 amino acids long. Ig gene superfamily - IgSF The genes encoding Ig domains are not restricted to Ig genes. Although first discovered in immunoglobulins, they are found in a superfamily of related genes, particularly those encoding proteins crucial to cell-cell interactions and molecular recognition systems. IgSF molecules are found in most cell types and are present across taxonomic boundaries Domain Structure of Immunoglobulins Domains are folded, compact, protease resistant structures Fab Fc Light chain C domains k or l S S S S S S S Heavy chain C domains a, d, e, g, or m Pepsin cleavage sites Papain cleavage sites S F(ab)2 - 1 x (Fab)2 & 1 x Fc - 2 x Fab 1 x Fc CH3 CH2 CH3 CH1 CH2 CH3 VH1 CH1 CH2 CH3 VH1 CH1 VL CH2 CH3 VH1 CH1 VL CH2 CH3 CL VH1 CH1 VL CH2 CH3 CL VH1 CH1 CL VL CH2 Elbow Hinge CH3 Flexibility and motion of immunoglobulins Elbow Hinge Fv VH1 CH1 Fb VL CL Fab CH2 Elbow Hinge Fc Carbohydrate CH3 View structures The Immunoglobulin Fold The characteristic structural motif of all Ig domains A b barrel of 7 (CL) or 8 (VL) polypeptide strands connected by loops and arranged to enclose a hydrophobic interior Single VL domain A barrel made of a sheet of staves arranged in a folded over sheet Barrel under construction The Immunoglobulin Fold COOH S S NH2 Unfolded VL region showing 8 antiparallel b-pleated sheets connected by loops. View structures Immunoglobulins are Bifunctional Proteins • Immunoglobulins must interact with a finite number of specialised molecules Easily explained by a common Fc region irrespective of specificity • - whilst simultaneously recognising an infinite array of antigenic determinants. In immunoglobulins, what is the structural basis for the infinite diversity needed to match the antigenic universe? Variability of amino acids in related proteins Wu & Kabat 1970 100 Variability 80 Cytochromes C 60 40 20 20 40 60 80 100 120 Amino acid No. 100 Variability Human Ig heavy chains 80 60 40 20 20 40 60 80 100 120 Amino acid No. Framework and Hypervariable regions • Distinct regions of high variability and conservation led to the concept of a FRAMEWORK (FR), on which hypervariable regions were suspended. • Most hypervariable regions coincided with antigen contact points the COMPLEMENTARITY DETERMINING REGIONS (CDRs) FR1 CDR1 FR2 CDR2 FR3 CDR3 FR4 100 Variability 80 60 40 20 20 40 60 80 100 120 Amino acid No. Hypervariable CDRs are located on loops at the end of the Fv regions Hypervariable regions Space-filling model of (Fab)2, viewed from above, illustrating the surface location of CDR loops Light chains Heavy chains CDRs Green and brown Cyan and blue Yellow Hypervariable loops and framework: Summary • The framework supports the hypervariable loops • The framework forms a compact b barrel/sandwich with a hydrophobic core • The hypervariable loops join, and are more flexible than, the b strands • The sequences of the hypervariable loops are highly variable amongst antibodies of different specificities • The variable sequences of the hypervariable loops influences the shape, hydrophobicity and charge at the tip of the antibody • Variable amino acid sequence in the hypervariable loops accounts for the diversity of antigens that can be recognised by a repertoire of antibodies Antigens vary in size and complexity Protein: Influenza haemagglutinin Hapten: 5-(para-nitrophenyl phosphonate)-pentanoic acid. Antibodies interact with antigens in a variety of ways Antigen inserts into a pocket in the antibody Antigen interacts with an extended antibody surface or a groove in the antibody surface View structures Flexibility and motion of immunoglobulins Elbow Hinge Models of Human Rhinovirus 14 neutralised by monoclonal antibodies 30nm Human Rhinovirus 14 - a common cold virus 60 strongly neutralising McAb Fab regions 30 strongly neutralising McAb 60 weakly neutralising McAb Fab regions Electron micrographs of Antibodies and complement opsonising Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) Negatively stained EBV EBV coated with a corona of anti-EBV antibodies EBV coated with antibodies and activated complement components Electron micrographs of the effect of antibodies and complement upon bacteria Healthy E. coli Antibody + complement- mediated damage to E. coli Non-covalent forces in antibody - antigen interactions Electrostatic forces Attraction between opposite charges Hydrogen bonds Hydrogens shared between electronegative atoms Van der Waal’s forces Fluctuations in electron clouds around molecules oppositely polarise neighbouring atoms Hydrophobic forces Hydrophobic groups pack together to exclude water (involves Van der Waal’s forces) Why do antibodies need an Fc region? The (Fab)2 fragment can • Detect antigen • Precipitate antigen • Block the active sites of toxins or pathogen-associated molecules • Block interactions between host and pathogen-associated molecules but can not activate • Inflammatory and effector functions associated with cells • Inflammatory and effector functions of complement • The trafficking of antigens into the antigen processing pathways Structure and function of the Fc region IgA IgD IgG IgE IgM CH2 The hinge region is replaced by an additional Ig domain Fc structure is common to all specificities of antibody within an ISOTYPE (although there are allotypes) The structure acts as a receptor for complement proteins and a ligand for cellular binding sites Monomeric IgM IgM only exists as a monomer on the surface of B cells Monomeric IgM has a very low affinity for antigen Cm2 N.B. Only constant heavy chain domains are shown Cm4 contains the transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions. These are removed by RNA splicing to produce secreted IgM Polymeric IgM IgM forms pentamers and hexamers Cm2 N.B. Only constant heavy chain domains are shown Cm3 binds C1q to initiate activation of the classical complement pathway Cm1 binds C3b to facilitate uptake of opsonised antigens by macrophages Cm4 mediates multimerisation (Cm3 may also be involved) Multimerisation of IgM Cm2 1. Two IgM monomers in the ER (Fc regions only shown) C 3. A J chain detaches leaving the dimer disulphide bonded. C 2. Cysteines in the J chain form disulphide bonds with cysteines from each monomer to form a dimer 4. A J chain captures another IgM monomer and joins it to the dimer. 6. The J chain remains attached to the IgM pentamer. Cm4 5. The cycle is repeated twice more ss Cm4 Antigen-induced conformational changes in IgM Planar or ‘Starfish’ conformation found in solution. Does not fix complement Staple or ‘crab’ conformation of IgM Conformation change induced by binding to antigen. Efficient at fixing complement IgM facts and figures Heavy chain: m - Mu Half-life: 5 to 10 days % of Ig in serum: 10 Serum level (mgml-1): 0.25 - 3.1 Complement activation: ++++ by classical pathway Interactions with cells: Phagocytes via C3b receptors Epithelial cells via polymeric Ig receptor Transplacental transfer: No Affinity for antigen: Monomeric IgM - low affinity - valency of 2 Pentameric IgM - high avidity - valency of 10 IgD facts and figures Heavy chain: d - Delta Half-life: 2 to 8 days % of Ig in serum: 0.2 Serum level (mgml-1): 0.03 - 0.4 Complement activation: No Interactions with cells: T cells via lectin like IgD receptor Transplacental transfer: No IgD is co-expressed with IgM on B cells due to differential RNA splicing Level of expression exceeds IgM on naïve B cells IgD plasma cells are found in the nasal mucosa - however the function of IgD in host defence is unknown - knockout mice inconclusive Ligation of IgD with antigen can activate, delete or anergise B cells Extended hinge region confers susceptibility to proteolytic degradation IgA dimerisation and secretion IgA is the major isotype of antibody secreted at mucosal sufaces Exists in serum as a monomer, but more usually as a J chainlinked dimer, that is formed in a similar manner to IgM pentamers. S S S J S ss S S S S IgA exists in two subclasses IgA1 is mostly found in serum and made by bone marrow B cells IgA2 is mostly found in mucosal secretions, colostrum and milk and is made by B cells located in the mucosae Secretory IgA and transcytosis S S SS SS SS SS ss ss S S J S S S S S S J ss S S S S SS S S B J J Epithelial cell pIgR & IgA are internalised ss SS S S SS J SS S S ss IgA and pIgR are transported to the apical surface in vesicles SS ‘Stalk’ of the pIgR is degraded to release IgA containing part of the pIgR - the secretory component SS B cells located in the submucosa produce dimeric IgA Polymeric Ig receptors are expressed on the basolateral surface of epithelial cells to capture IgA produced in the mucosa IgA facts and figures Heavy chains: a1 or a2 - Alpha 1 or 2 Half-life: IgA1 5 - 7 days IgA2 4 - 6 days Serum levels (mgml-1): IgA1 1.4 - 4.2 IgA2 0.2 - 0.5 % of Ig in serum: IgA1 11 - 14 IgA2 1 - 4 Complement activation: IgA1 - by alternative and lectin pathway IgA2 - No Interactions with cells: Epithelial cells by pIgR Phagocytes by IgA receptor Transplacental transfer: No To reduce vulnerability to microbial proteases the hinge region of IgA2 is truncated, and in IgA1 the hinge is heavily glycosylated. IgA is inefficient at causing inflammation and elicits protection by excluding, binding, cross-linking microorganisms and facilitating phagocytosis IgE facts and figures Heavy chain: e - Epsilon Half-life: 1 - 5 days Serum level (mgml-1): 0.0001 - 0.0002 % of Ig in serum: 0.004 Complement activation: No Interactions with cells: Via high affinity IgE receptors expressed by mast cells, eosinophils, basophils and Langerhans cells Via low affinity IgE receptor on B cells and monocytes Transplacental transfer: No IgE appears late in evolution in accordance with its role in protecting against parasite infections Most IgE is absorbed onto the high affinity IgE receptors of effector cells IgE is also closely linked with allergic diseases The high affinity IgE receptor (FceRI) The IgE - FceRI interaction is the highest affinity of any Fc receptor with an extremely low dissociation rate. Binding of IgE to FceRI increases the half life of IgE a chain S g2 S S b chain S S S Ce3 of IgE interacts with the a chain of FceRI causing a conformational change. IgG facts and figures Heavy chains: g 1 g 2 g3 g4 - Gamma 1 - 4 Half-life: IgG1 IgG3 21 - 24 days 7 - 8 days IgG2 IgG4 21 - 24 days 21 - 24 days Serum level (mgml-1): IgG1 IgG3 5 - 12 0.5 - 1 IgG2 IgG4 2-6 0.2 - 1 % of Ig in serum: IgG1 IgG3 45 - 53 3-6 IgG2 IgG4 11 - 15 1-4 +++ ++++ IgG2 IgG4 + No Complement activation: IgG1 IgG3 Interactions with cells: All subclasses via IgG receptors on macrophages and phagocytes Transplacental transfer: IgG1 IgG3 ++ ++ IgG2 IgG4 + ++ C1q binding motif is located on the Cg2 domain Carbohydrate is essential for complement activation Subtly different hinge regions between subclasses accounts for differing abilities to activate complement Fcg receptors High affinity Fcg receptors from the Ig superfamily: Receptor FcgRI FcgRIIA FcgRIIB1 FcgRIIB2 FcgRIII Cell type Effect of ligation Macrophages Neutrophils, Eosinophils, Dendritic cells Uptake, Respiratory burst Macrophages Neutrophils, Eosinophils, Platelets Langerhans cells Uptake, Granule release B cells, Mast Cells No Uptake, Inhibition of stimulation Macrophages Neutrophils, Eosinophils Uptake, Inhibition of stimulation NK cells, Eosinophils, Macrophages, Neutrophils Mast cells Induction of killing (NK cells) The neonatal Fcg receptor Human FcgRn Human MHC Class I The FcgRn is structurally related to MHC class I In cows FcgRn binds maternal IgG in the colostrum at pH 6.5 in the gut. The IgG receptor complex is trancytosed across the gut epithelium and the IgG is released into the foetal blood by the sharp change in pH to 7.4 Some evidence that this may also happen in the human placenta, however the mechanism is not straightforward. Molecular Genetics of Immunoglobulins