title: Crystallization of a complex between the Fab fragment of a human immunoglobulin M (IgM) rheumatoid factor (RF-AN) and the Fc fragment of human IgG4.
abstract: Rheumatoid factors (RF) are the characteristic autoantibodies found in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. They recognize epitopes in the Fc region of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and are often of the IgM isotype. In order to analyse the nature of RF-Fc interactions, we have crystallized a complex between the Fab fragment of a human monoclonal IgM rheumatoid factor (RF-AN) and the Fc fragment of human IgG4. The stoichiometry of the complex within the crystals was found to be 2:1 Fab:Fc. The crystals diffracted X-rays to 0.3 nm resolution, and the space group was C2, with cell dimensions a = 16.03 nm, b = 8.19 nm, c = 6.42 nm, beta = 98.3 degrees. We have also determined the sequence of the variable region of the RF-AN light chain, not hitherto reported. This belongs to the V lambda III-a subgroup and is closely related to the germline gene Humlv318, from which it differs in three amino acid residues. This is the first reported crystallized complex between a human autoantibody and its autoantigen.
authors.affiliation: Randall Institute, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sohi
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Corper
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinitz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jefferis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beale
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feinstein
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Taussig
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D003460:Crystallization; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor