Immunoglobulins with Non-Canonical Functions in Inflammatory and Autoimmune Disease States

Abstract

Immunoglobulins are known to combine various effector mechanisms of the adaptive and the innate immune system. Classical immunoglobulin functions are associated with antigen recognition and the initiation of innate immune responses. However, in addition to classical functions, antibodies exhibit a variety of non-canonical functions related to the destruction of various pathogens due to catalytic activity and cofactor effects, the action of antibodies as agonists/antagonists of various receptors, the control of bacterial diversity of the intestine, etc. Canonical and non-canonical functions reflect the extreme human antibody repertoire and the variety of antibody types generated in the organism: antigen-specific, natural, polyreactive, broadly neutralizing, homophilic, bispecific and catalytic. The therapeutic effects of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) are associated with both the canonical and non-canonical functions of antibodies. In this review, catalytic antibodies will be considered in more detail, since their formation is associated with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. We will systematically summarize the diversity of catalytic antibodies in normal and pathological conditions. Translational perspectives of knowledge about natural antibodies for IVIg therapy will be also discussed.