title: How immunoglobulin G antibodies kill target cells: revisiting an old paradigm.
abstract: The capacity of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to eliminate virtually any target cell has resulted in the widespread introduction of cytotoxic antibodies into the clinic in settings of cancer therapy, autoimmunity, and transplantation, for example. More recently, it has become apparent that also the protection from viral infection via IgG antibodies may require cytotoxic effector functions, suggesting that antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) directed against malignant or virally infected cells is one of the most essential effector mechanisms triggered by IgG antibodies to protect the host. A detailed understanding of the underlying molecular and cellular pathways is critical, therefore, to make full use of this antibody effector function. Several studies over the last years have provided novel insights into the effector pathways and innate immune effector cells responsible for ADCC reactions. One of the most notable outcomes of many of these reports is that cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system rather than natural killer cells are critical for removal of IgG opsonized target cells in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biburger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lux
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: falk.nimmerjahn@fau.de.
authors.forename: Falk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nimmerjahn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D014180:Transplantation
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: ADCC; ADCP; Fc-receptor; Immunoglobulin G; Natural killer cell