Jeffrey V. Ravetch

Dendritic cells (DCs) have the capacity to initiate immune responses, but it has been postulated that they may also be involved in inducing peripheral tolerance. To examine the function of DCs in the steady state we devised an antigen delivery system targeting these specialized antigen presenting cells in vivo using a monoclonal antibody to a DC-restricted endocytic receptor, DEC-205. Our experiments show that this route of antigen delivery to DCs is several orders of magnitude more efficient than free peptide in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in inducing T cell activation and cell division. However, T cells activated by antigen delivered to DCs are not polarized to produce T helper type 1 cytokine interferon gamma and the activation response is not sustained. Within 7 d the number of antigen-specific T cells is severely reduced, and the residual T cells become unresponsive to systemic challenge with antigen in CFA. Coinjection of the DC-targeted antigen and anti-CD40 agonistic antibody changes the outcome from tolerance to prolonged T cell activation and immunity. We conclude that in the absence of additional stimuli DCs induce transient antigen-specific T cell activation followed by T cell deletion and unresponsiveness.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) mediates pro- and anti-inflammatory activities through the engagement of its Fc fragment (Fc) with distinct Fcg receptors (FcgRs). One class of Fc-FcgR interactions generates pro-inflammatory effects of immune complexes and cytotoxic antibodies. In contrast, therapeutic intravenous gamma globulin and its Fc fragments are anti-inflammatory. We show here that these distinct properties of the IgG Fc result from differential sialylation of the Fc core polysaccharide. IgG acquires anti-inflammatory properties upon Fc sialylation, which is reduced upon the induction of an antigen-specific immune response. This differential sialylation may provide a switch from innate anti-inflammatory activity in the steady state to generating adaptive pro-inflammatory effects upon antigenic challenge.

Since the description of the first mouse knockout for an IgG Fc receptor seven years ago, considerable progress has been made in defining the in vivo functions of these receptors in diverse biological systems. The role of activating Fc gamma Rs in providing a critical link between ligands and effector cells in type II and type III inflammation is now well established and has led to a fundamental revision of the significance of these receptors in initiating cellular responses in host defense, in determining the efficacy of therapeutic antibodies, and in pathological autoimmune conditions. Considerable progress has been made in the last two years on the in vivo regulation of these responses, through the appreciation of the importance of balancing activation responses with inhibitory signaling. The inhibitory FcR functions in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance, in regulating the threshold of activation responses, and ultimately in terminating IgG mediated effector stimulation. The consequences of deleting the inhibitory arm of this system are thus manifested in both the afferent and efferent immune responses. The hyperresponsive state that results leads to greatly magnified effector responses by cytotoxic antibodies and immune complexes and can culminate in autoimmunity and autoimmune disease when modified by environmental or genetic factors. Fc gamma Rs offer a paradigm for the biological significance of balancing activation and inhibitory signaling in the expanding family of activation/inhibitory receptor pairs found in the immune system.