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Signal transduction initiated by interaction of immune complexes (IC) with Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIII receptors on human neutrophils was studied by investigating the capacity of well-defined complexes to stimulate O2- generation in neutrophils. IC consisting of polyclonal rabbit antibody to human albumin were prepared at equivalence (insoluble complexes) and at five times Ag excess (soluble complexes). Stimulation of human neutrophils with soluble and insoluble IC caused a dose-dependent activation of the respiratory burst and O2- generation. Incubation of neutrophils with cytochalasin B significantly enhanced O2- generation in neutrophils stimulated with soluble IC. In contrast, cytochalasin B treatment had a minimal effect on O2- generation in neutrophils stimulated with insoluble IC. Treatment of neutrophils with PGE1 or pertussis toxin (PTx) significantly inhibited O2- generation by soluble IC-stimulated neutrophils. However, neither PGE1 nor PTx treatment significantly altered O2- generation in neutrophils stimulated with insoluble complexes. Although O2- generation induced by soluble IC was significantly inhibited by mAb against both Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIII receptor, insoluble IC stimulation of neutrophil O2- generation was significantly diminished only by mAb against Fc gamma RIII receptor. Cross-linking of either Fc gamma RII or Fc gamma RIII receptors on neutrophil surfaces induced O2- generation, and this activation was inhibited by both PGE1 and PTx treatment. These findings indicate that soluble and insoluble ICs induce O2- production in human neutrophils through distinct mechanisms. Soluble IC induce activation of neutrophils through a PTx- and PGE1-sensitive pathway that is dependent upon both Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIII receptors. Although insoluble IC induce O2- production through a PTx and PGE1 insensitive pathway mediated primarily through Fc gamma RIII receptor.

Tetanus toxoid (TT) was complexed with two human monoclonal antibodies. The antibodies recognized different, nonrepeating epitopes. The complexes formed were characterized by gel filtration and isokinetic sucrose density gradient centrifugation. It was found that in antigenic excess the separate antibodies formed a complex of one antibody molecule and two TT molecules [IgG1-(TT)2 and IgG3-(TT)2]. In cases where equal amounts of TT and both antibodies were mixed, a dimeric complex [IgG1-(TT)2-IgG3] was formed. The binding of these immune complexes to human neutrophils and eosinophils was studied. Whereas the immune complexes containing one antibody did not bind to either cell type, the two-antibody complex bound to both. This indicates that not the sterical change in the Fc part of an antibody molecule after binding an antigen, but the Fc valency of an immune complex is the decisive factor in Fc receptor interaction with neutrophilic and eosinophilic granulocytes.