Preformed complexes between immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies and the IgE Fcɛ receptor I (FcɛRI) prime cells before allergen exposure to trigger an inflammatory response, and cannot be disrupted by current competitive inhibitors. This study showed that an engineered protein inhibitor, DARPin E2-79, acts through a novel mechanism to stimulate the dissociation of preformed IgE–FcɛRI complexes (as well as blocking IgE–FcɛRI interactions). Such inhibitors could be used to block the allergic response, and this work suggests that other protein–protein complexes may be amenable to disruption by macromolecular inhibitors.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Kim, B. et al. Accelerated disassembly of IgE–receptor complexes by a disruptive macromolecular inhibitor. Nature 28 Oct 2012 (doi:10.1038/nature11546)
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Harrison, C. Disassembling antibody–receptor complexes. Nat Rev Drug Discov 11, 908 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd3904
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd3904
