Recently, Su Qiang, a graduate of Zhiyuan (class of 2015), a Special Researcher of Shenzhen Academy of Medical Sciences, and Shi Yigong, a professor at Westlake University, published a study entitled "Molecular mechanism of IgE-mediated FcεRI activation " in the journal Nature. The research (Molecular mechanism of IgE mediated FcεRI Activation) reveals for the first time the key role of IgE in allergic reactions.
Allergic diseases affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. When the immune system is first exposed to an allergen, it produces an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE), at which point mast cells and basophils participate in the immune response through the high-affinity IgE receptor, known as FcεRI. When the allergen causes IgE antibody to bind and cross-link with FcεRI, mast cells and basophils will be activated and release histamine and other allergic mediators, resulting in allergic reactions such as vasodilation and bronchoconstriction, which can lead to systemic anaphylactic shock in severe cases. Scientists once thought that IgE was only passively attached to the FcεRI receptor and did not directly affect mast cell function. However, recent studies have shown that IgE can mediate a range of important mast cell functions by binding to FC-ε RI even in the absence of antigens (Figure 1).
FIG. 1 Schematic diagram of hypersensitivity caused by mast cells
This study fills a gap in the knowledge of the mechanism of FcεRI receptor activation in allergic reactions and provides important clues for the development of new strategies to treat allergic diseases. The team members used a variety of techniques to reveal the molecular mechanism of FC-ε RI activation: When the FC-ε RI receptor does not bind IgE antibodies, it exists as a dimer, and the ITAM motif is stacked together, blocking downstream signaling kinase activation. After binding to IgE antibodies, the receptor transforms into a monomer, exposing the ITAM motif, activating downstream signaling pathways, upregating the expression of Egr1/3 and Ccl2 genes, and regulating mast cell survival, differentiation, and migration (Figure 2).
Figure 2 Molecular model of IGE-mediated FcεRI activation
After receiving his doctorate from Tsinghua University in 2019, Su Qiang went to Westlake University for post-doctoral researches. In May 2024, he joined Shenzhen Academy of Medical Sciences as a Special Researcher and served as a doctoral supervisor to set up the Structural Immunobiology Laboratory. Su Qiang has extensive experiences in the structural biology of immune receptors and has published 10 articles in Nature, Science and other journals. These include the complete IgM isotype B cell receptor structure (2022, Science), the complete γδ T cell receptor structure (2024a, Nature), and the complete Fc receptor structure (2024b, Nature).
Recalling the four years of undergraduate study, Su Qiang said that Zhiyuan College has a strong academic atmosphere of "turning around and meeting with the academic master". The rich teaching resources of Zhiyuan has not only laid a solid foundation for his professional study, but also broadened his scientific research horizon. He especially thanked teachers He Shigang and Xia Weiliang for guiding and helping him on the road of scientific research. Professor Xia Weiliang, the Associate Dean, attaches particular importance to and cares for the alumni, actively promotes the academic ties between alumni, and currently registered students, and closely links "Zhiyuan people" together. Su Qiang said that the college has successfully cultivated a large number of scientific research talents, and his undergraduate roommate, Zhao Fangzhou (majoring in Physics), has also made outstanding achievements in the field of scientific researches, therefore, he is looking forward to seeing the more vigorous developments of the "Zhiyuan academic family".
On October 15, 2024, Xia Weiliang, Vice President of Zhiyuan College, visited Suqiang’s Laboratory