Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Research Highlight
  • Published:

Antibodies

Getting the trigger the right way round

Nature Reviews Immunology volume 13, page 5 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

the binding orientation of IgG on S. pyogenes is directly linked to antibody concentrations

This study started with the analysis of a diabetic patient who presented with an asymptomatic throat infection, toxic shock and necrotizing fasciitis. Streptococcus pyogenes — which expresses the IgGFc-binding proteins M1 protein and protein H and in most individuals causes superficial throat and skin infections — was identified in samples from the throat, necrotic tissue and blood of this patient. Using negative-staining electron microscopy, the authors found that IgG bound to S. pyogenes in the throat via the Fc region, whereas it bound via the fragment of antigen binding (Fab) region in the blood. In the necrotic tissue, complexes of M1 protein, fibrinogen and IgG had been released from the bacterial surface, and these complexes have previously been shown to induce a cardinal feature of toxic shock and necrotizing fasciitis.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Nordenfelt, P. et al. Antibody orientation at bacterial surfaces is related to invasive infection. J. Exp. Med. 10 Dec 2012 (doi:10.1084/jem.20120325)

Download references

Authors
  1. Olive Leavy
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Leavy, O. Getting the trigger the right way round. Nat Rev Immunol 13, 5 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3378

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3378

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing