I am looking into selecting T cells with microbeads for isolation and subsequent adoptive transfer in mice. Before labeling with microbeads, I usually block Fc receptors to ensure a more specific binding of antibodies. If I block Fc receptors, do magnetic selection, and then do adoptive transfer, will the fact that the Fc receptors are block affect anything in vivo (e.g. proper T cell function in vivo)?
Hello Alex Larsson
Yes, it will. Fc-receptors are widely expressed throughout the immune system. By binding to the antibody Fc-portion, they provide a link between the specificity of the adaptive immune system and the powerful effector functions triggered by innate immune effector cells.
The Fc-receptors are associated with an array of activities such as:
a. Clearance of antigen-antibody complex via receptor mediated endocytosis.
b. Antibody-dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity.
c. Ligand triggered transmission of signals across the plasma membrane which will result in alteration in secretion, exocytosis, and cellular metabolism.
You may want to refer to the article attached below for more information.
https://iubmb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1016/0307-4412%2891%2990002-P
Best.
Thank you Malcolm Nobre for the information and paper. I knew some of these aspects of the immune system but overall it seems that blocking Fc receptors on T cells likely won't affect how they operate once transferred into mice. It seems Fc receptors are only present on T cells after they become activated. I'm not relying on T cell FcRs to function in the 'adopted' mice.