Learning Objectives
Up on completion of this chapter the student will be able to:
Discuss the general properties of all immunoglobulin's
Describe the basic structure of immunoglobulin's
Relate immunoglobulin structure with function
Define immunoglobulin hypervarialble regions
Define and describe immunoglobulin classes, subclasses,
types and subtypes
Describe B cell receptor
Explain antibody diversity and class switching
Outline
8.1. Introduction to Immunoglobulins and antibodies
8.2. General Functions of Immunoglobulins
8.3. Basic immunoglobulin Structure
8.4. Immunoglobulin Fragments: Structure/Function
Relationships
8.5. Human immunoglobulin classes
8.1. Introduction
1.Definition - Molecules that are produced
by the body in response to a foreign
substance and are antagonist to it.
2.They are known as Immunoglobulins
when not referring to their specificity
3.Immunoglobulins reside in the globulin
fraction of serum.
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
8.2. General Functions of Immunoglobulins
Effector functions (Usually require Ag binding)
Fixation of complement
Binding to various cells
•Ag binding
–Can result in protection
–Valence
Immunoglobulin's - heterogeneous
Myeloma proteins - homogeneous
immunoglobulin's
8.2. General Functions of Immunoglobulins
Heavy & Light
Chains
Disulfide bonds
Inter-chain
Intra-chain
8.3. Basic Immunoglobulin Structure
C
H1
V
L
C
L
V
H
C
H2
C
H3
Hinge Region
Carbohydrate
Disulfide bond
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Variable &
Constant Regions
V
L
& C
L
V
H & C
H
Hinge Region
C
H1
V
L
C
L
V
H
C
H2
C
H3
Hinge Region
Carbohydrate
Disulfide bond
8.3. Basic Immunoglobulin Structure
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Domains
V
L & C
L
V
H & C
H1 - C
H3
(or
C
H4)
Oligosaccharides
C
H1
V
L
C
L
V
H
C
H2
C
H3
Hinge Region
Carbohydrate
Disulfide bond
8.3. Basic Immunoglobulin Structure
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Immune serum
Ag adsorbed serum
α
1
α
2
β γ
+ -
albumin
globulins
Mobility
A
m
o
u
n
t
o
f
p
r
o
t
e
i
n
Antibodies
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Five Immunoglobulin Classes;
IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, & IgE
F
ab
, Disulphide bonds Hinge, Domains,
Variable regions, Constant regions,
COOH end, NH3 end, Binding site
Antibodies
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
(a) Isotypic determinants are constant region determinants that
distinguish each Ig class and subclass within a species.
(a) Allotypic determinants are subtle amino acid differences
encoded by different alleles of isotype genes. Allotypic
differences can be detected by comparing the same antibody
class among different inbred strains.
(a) Idiotypic determinants are generated by the conformation of
the amino acid sequences of the heavy- and light-chain
variable regions specific for each antigen. Each individual
determinant is called an idiotope, and the sum of the
individual idiotopes is the idiotype.
Antibodies
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
8.4. Immunoglobulin Fragments:
Structure/Function Relationships
Fab
Ag binding
Valence = 1
Specificity
determined by V
H
and V
L
Papain
Fc
Fab
•Fc
–Effector functions
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Ag Binding
Complement Binding Site
Placental Transfer
Binding to Fc
Receptors
8.4. Immunoglobulin Fragments:
Structure/Function Relationships
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
8.5. Human Immunoglobulin Classes
IgG - Gamma (γ) heavy chains
IgM - Mu (µ) heavy chains
IgA - Alpha (α) heavy chains
IgD - Delta (δ) heavy chains
IgE - Epsilon (ε) heavy chains
Human immunoglobulin sub classes
IgG Subclasses
IgG1 - Gamma 1 (γ1) heavy chains
IgG2 - Gamma 2 (γ2) heavy chains
IgG3 - Gamma 3 (γ3) heavy chains
IgG4 - Gamma 4 (γ4) heavy chains
IgA subclasses
IgA1 - Alpha 1 (α1) heavy chains
IgA2 - Alpha 2 (α2) heavy chains
8.5. Human Immunoglobulin Classes
Human immunoglobulin light chain types
Kappa (κ)
Lambda (λ)
8.5. Human Immunoglobulin Classes
IgG
Characteristics
150,000 MW
Highest serum conc.
Transported across placenta
via Fc - relevant to Lab
diagnosis of ID, Laboratory
false positive serologies
Four subclasses (IgG1-4)
Monomeric in form
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Characteristics
Dimer, monomer
Two subtypes (1,2)
Secretions
Tears, Saliva, GI tract, Colostrum
Secretory IgA has Secretory component made by
epithelial cells, that protects it from enzymatic and other
chemical degradation
It prevents viral and some bacterial attachment to
mucosal epithelial cells
Dimeric form has J chain – connects
IgA
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Characteristics
Pentameric form
Primary response
Role in Lab Diagnostics
Does not pass placenta
Effective agglutinator
Most efficient C’ fixation
IgM
Cµ4
J Chain
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Fixation of C1 by IgG and IgM Abs
C1r
C1s
C1q
C1r
C1s
C1q
No activation Activation
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Characteristics
Extra Constant region domain (C4)
Lowest serum concentration
(meaning to diagnostic Lab tests)
Binds to Mast cells via Fc - Allergic
reactions
Protection - Parasitic infections
IgE
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Low concentration in serum (<1%)
Function largely unknown - may act as Antigen receptor for
B cells
No clinical need to measure - clue to physician competence
& clerical error
IgD
Antibody - Antigen Interactions
Antibody binding site
Folded structure - forming cleft between
Heavy and Light chains - tertiary
Apple analogy - best fit
Antigen binding site
Quite small (6 amino acids)
Epitope
Sequential vs. Conformational -
Implications to Lab tests
Source: Kuby. Immunology 2007 5
th
ed).
Outcomes to Antibody Binding
1.Agglutinates Ag
2.Initiates immune response
1.Cellular
2.Humoral
3.Activates Complement
4.Cleared/Killed by
phagocytic system
Source: Immunobiology 2001 5
th
ed).
Summary
An antibody molecule consists of two identical light chains
and two identical heavy chains, which are linked by
disulfide bonds. Each heavy chain has an amino-terminal
variable region followed by a constant region.
In any given antibody molecule, the constant region
contains one of five basic heavy-chain sequences (α,,γ,
or ) called isotypes and one of two basic light-chain
sequences ( or к) called types.
The heavy-chain isotype determines the class of an
antibody (, IgM; γ, IgG; , IgD; α, IgA; and , IgE).
Review questions
Explain the general properties of all immunoglobulin's
Draw roughly basic structure of immunoglobulin's and label
it correctly
Discus immunoglobulin structure with function
Define and describe immunoglobulin classes, subclasses,
types and subtypes
Explain antibody diversity and class switching
Reference
1.Kuby; Goldsby et. al. Immunology. 2007 (5
th
ed)
2.Tizard. Immunology an introduction,4
th
edition ,Saunders publishing,1994
3.Naville J. Bryant Laboratory Immunology and Serology 3
rd
edition.
Serological services Ltd.Toronto,Ontario,Canada,1992
4.Abul K. Abbas and Andrew H. Lichtman. Cellular And Molecular
Immunology 2008, 5
th
edition
5.Mary T. Keogan, Eleanor M. Wallace and Paula O’Leary Concise clinical
immunology for health professionals , 2006
6.Ivan M. Roitt and Peter J. Delves Essential immunology 2001, 3
rd
ed
7.Reginald Gorczynski and Jacqueline Stanley, Clinical immunology 1990.