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- Volume Number 7
- Issue 4 Cover Date: January 01, 2007
Genetic Linkage of FcγRIIa and FcγRIIIa and Implications for Their Use in Predicting Clinical Responses to CD20-Directed Monoclonal Antibody Therapy
Authors: Evdoxia Hatjiharissi, Mark Hansen, Daniel Ditzel Santos, Lian Xu, Xavier Leleu, Elizabeth W. Dimmock, Allen W. Ho, Zachary R. Hunter, Andrew R. Branagan, Christopher J. Patterson, Alexandros Kortsaris, Sigitas verselis, Edward Fox, Steven P. Treon
Background: Polymorphisms in FcγRIIa and FcγRIIIa receptors are associated with responses to the CD20-directed immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody rituximab among patients with indolent lymphoma. At odds with the aforementioned clinical observations has been the finding that IgG1 binding is impacted by polymorphisms in FcγRIIla but not FcγRIIa. One possibility for this discrepancy might involve linkage of polymorphisms between FcγRIIa and FcγRIIla. Materials and Methods: As such, we performed allele-specific polymerase chain reaction and directed sequencing of the genomic DNA coding region of FcγRIIa and FcγRIIla for 52 healthy individuals. Results: Two common polymorphisms were observed for FcγRIIa (at positions 27 and 131) and FcγRIIla (at positions 48 and 158). Importantly, we observed linkage among polymorphisms within and between FcγRIIa and FcγRIIla, including the expression of histidine at FcγRIIa-131 and valine at FcγRIIla, both of which are associated with enhanced responses to rituximab. The results of these studies demonstrate that there is wide linkage within and between polymorphisms in FcγRIIa and FcγRIIla and might provide an explanation for why polymorphisms at FcγRIIa are associated with rituximab responses despite a lack of impact on IgG1 binding. Conclusion: Knowledge of such linkages could facilitate the development of diagnostic tests aimed at identifying patients who might be more suitable for treatment with rituximab and possibly other therapeutic antibodies.