The neonatal FcR-mediated presentation of immune-complexed antigen is associated with endosomal and phagosomal pH and antigen stability in macrophages and dendritic cells

J Immunol. 2011 Apr 15;186(8):4674-86. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1003584. Epub 2011 Mar 14.

Abstract

The FcγRs found on macrophages (Ms) and dendritic cells (DCs) efficiently facilitate the presentation or cross-presentation of immune-complexed Ags to T cells. We found that the MHC class I-related neonatal FcR for IgG (FcRn) in both Ms and DCs failed to have a strong effect on the cross-presentation of immune complex (IC) OVA Ag to CD8(+) T cells. Interestingly, endosomal FcRn enhanced the presentation of the monomeric OVA-IC to CD4(+) T cells robustly, whereas FcRn in phagosomes exerted distinctive effects on Ag presentation between Ms and DCs. The presentation of phagocytosed OVA-ICs to CD4(+) T cells was considerably enhanced on wild-type versus FcRn-deficient Ms, but was not affected in FcRn-deficient DCs. This functional discrepancy was associated with the dependence of IgG-FcRn binding in an acidic pH. Following phagocytosis, the phagosomal pH dropped rapidly to <6.5 in Ms but remained in the neutral range in DCs. This disparity in pH determined the rate of degradation of phagocytosed ICs. Thus, our findings reveal that FcRn expression has a different effect on Ag processing and presentation of ICs to CD4(+) T cells in the endosomal versus phagosomal compartments of Ms versus DCs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigen Presentation / immunology
  • Antigens / genetics
  • Antigens / immunology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cross-Priming / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Endocytosis / immunology
  • Endosomes / immunology*
  • Endosomes / metabolism
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / genetics
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / metabolism
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin G / metabolism
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Ovalbumin / genetics
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Phagosomes / immunology*
  • Phagosomes / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Receptors, Fc / genetics
  • Receptors, Fc / immunology*
  • Receptors, Fc / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Receptors, Fc
  • Ovalbumin
  • Fc receptor, neonatal