Mutagenesis Within Human FcεRIα Differentially Affects Human and Murine IgE Binding

Soluble fragments of the α-chain of FcεRI, the high-affinity receptor for IgE, compete with membrane-bound receptors for IgE and may thus provide a means to combat allergic responses. Mutagenesis within FcεRIα is used in this study, in conjunction with the crystal structure of the FcεRIα/IgE complex, to define the relative importance of specific residues within human FcεRIα for IgE binding. We have also compared the effects of these mutants on binding to both human and mouse IgE, with a view to evaluating the mouse as an appropriate model for the analysis of future agents designed to mimic the human FcεRIα and attenuate allergic disease. Three residues within the C-C′ region of the FcεRI α2 domain and two residues within the α2 proximal loops of the α1 domain were selected for mutagenesis and tested in binding assays with human and mouse IgE. All three α2 mutations (K117D, W130A, and Y131A) reduced the affinity of human IgE binding to different extents, but K117D had a far more pronounced effect on mouse IgE binding, and although Y131A had little effect, W130A modestly enhanced binding to mouse IgE. The mutations in α1 (R15A and F17A) diminished binding to both human and mouse IgE, with these effects most likely caused by disruption of the α1/α2 interface. Our results demonstrate that the effects of mutations in human FcεRIα on mouse IgE binding, and hence the inhibitory properties of human receptor-based peptides assayed in rodent models of allergy, may not necessarily reflect their activity in a human IgE-based system.