Pairs of activating and inhibitory molecules, known as Fc receptors, are found on the surface of nearly all immune cells. The Ravetch lab’s studies of Fc receptors has led to the discovery that, by binding to these receptors, antibodies coordinate the immune system’s effector responses. The lab continues to investigate the roles and mechanisms of Fc-mediated interactions, and applies its findings to improve treatments for disease.
By disrupting activating receptors, lab members found they could ablate antibody-dependent inflammatory reactions, such as those characteristic of lupus. Subsequent studies established Fc receptors’ pre-eminence in the pro-inflammatory activity of both protective and pathogenic immunoglobulin G (IgG) in vivo. Even the classical neutralizing antibodies for bacterial toxins and viruses require Fc receptor engagement, and ongoing studies are examining its role in the response to the Ebola virus. The lab also studies antibodies made by people who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 to determine which Fc variants are best capable of eliminating virus.