Differential recruitment of accessory molecules by FcγRI during monocyte differentiation

Aggregation of the human high-affinity receptor for immunoglobulin G, FcgammaRI, results in initiation of intracellular signaling cascades. However, as the receptor contains no known signaling motif, it is required to recruit an accessory molecule. The gamma chain has been proposed to fulfil this role. Here, we show that in U937 cells differentiated to a more macrophage-like phenotype with dibutyryl cAMP, FcgammaRI no longer signals through the gamma chain but rather uses FcgammaRIIa to initiate tyrosine phosphorylation. Expression of the gamma chain is, however, increased in the dbcAMP-induced cells, but here the gamma chain specifically associates with the IgA receptor, FcalphaRI. Recruitment of the gamma chain either by FcgammaRI in cytokine-primed cells or by FcalphaRI in dbcAMP-induced cells couples ligand binding to the activation of phosphatidyl choline-specific phospholipase D.