title: Binding of phycoerythrin and its conjugates to murine low affinity receptors for immunoglobulin G.
abstract: Conjugates of R-phycoerythrin are widely used for immunohistochemistry, especially for two-color flow cytometry. Their use is however limited by their apparent tendency to bind non-specifically. Using cells transfected with cDNAs for the murine low affinity receptors for immunoglobulin G (Fc gamma RII and -III) and cells naturally expressing these receptors, we demonstrate that R-phycoerythrin and its conjugates bind specifically and inhibitably to Fc gamma RII and -III. Immunofluorescence stainings of cells bearing these receptors, such as macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils, mast cells, subsets of T cells, and natural killer cells, may therefore not reflect the binding of antibody to antigen, but rather the binding of R-phycoerythrin to the receptors.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Allergy and Immunology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Takizawa
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kinet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adamczewski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010799:Phycoerythrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D010799:Phycoerythrin