FcR-independent antibody-mediated cellular cytotoxicity

In this study we used palmitate-derivatized antibodies (pal-Ab) to examine the minimum contribution of Fc receptors (FcR) to macrophage (M phi)-mediated lysis and phagocytosis in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Pal-Ab specific for chicken erythrocytes (CE) were incorporated into the plasma membranes of M phi by insertion of the palmitate hydrocarbon chains into the outer leaflet of the phospholipid bilayer. In this system, the palmitate anchor bypassed the requirement for FcR in antibody-dependent effector-target conjugation and provided a unique opportunity to uncouple antibody-FcR interactions in ADCC. We show that binding of CE targets by P388D1 M phi effector cells through anti-CE pal-F(ab')2 can lead to efficient extracellular target cell lysis, but not phagocytosis. In contrast, pal-F(ab')2-mediated interactions between CE and peritoneal exudate M phi (PEM) activated both ingestion and extracellular lysis of the targets. In normal ADCC, FcR-dependent interactions between CE and either P388D1 cells or PEM triggered both extracellular lysis and phagocytosis. Our results demonstrate that lysis and phagocytosis in CE-directed ADCC by M phi have different minimum requirements for FcR functions. Moreover, our results suggest that FcR-independent triggers on the PEM surface are capable of triggering target cell lysis and internalization following antibody-mediated interactions.