René G. Ott

In contrast to its close homolog CDK4, the cell cycle kinase CDK6 is expressed at high levels in lymphoid malignancies. In a model for p185BCR-ABL+ B-acute lymphoid leukemia, we show that CDK6 is part of a transcription complex that induces the expression of the tumor suppressor p16INK4a and the pro-angiogenic factor VEGF-A. This function is independent of CDK6's kinase activity. High CDK6 expression thus suppresses proliferation by upregulating p16INK4a, providing an internal safeguard. However, in the absence of p16INK4a, CDK6 can exert its full tumor-promoting function by enhancing proliferation and stimulating angiogenesis. The finding that CDK6 connects cell-cycle progression to angiogenesis confirms CDK6's central role in hematopoietic malignancies and could underlie the selection pressure to upregulate CDK6 and silence p16INK4a.

Immunoglobulin G plays a vital role in adaptive immunity and antibody-based therapy through engagement of its Fc region by the Fc gamma receptors (Fc gammaRs) on immune cells. In addition to specific protein-protein contacts, N-linked glycosylation of the IgG Fc has been thought to be essential for the recognition of Fc by Fc gammaR. This requirement for the N-linked glycan has limited biomanufacture of therapeutic antibodies by restricting it to mammalian expression systems. We report here aglycosylated Fc domain variants that maintain engagement to Fc gammaRs, both in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating that Fc glycosylation is not strictly required for the activation of immune cells by IgG. These variants provide insight into how the N-linked glycan is used biologically in the recognition of Fc by Fc gammaRs, as well as represent a step toward the production in alternative expression systems of antibody-based therapeutics capable of eliciting immune effector functions.