Enzymes that remove antibody sugars to stop harmful antibody effects
Engineering IgG-specific endoglycosidases to selectively defeat effector functions
Developing engineered enzymes that remove specific sugar groups on IgG antibodies to prevent harmful immune attacks in autoimmune diseases and severe antibody-enhanced infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11331305 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are engineering IgG-specific endoglycosidases (inspired by bacterial EndoS) to precisely cut the N-glycan at Asn297 on the IgG Fc region. Removing that sugar prevents antibodies from engaging Fc receptors and triggering inflammatory effector functions that drive autoimmune damage or antibody-dependent enhancement. The team will use biochemical and structural studies, engineered enzyme variants, cell-based assays, animal models, and tests on human IgG samples to optimize specificity and safety. The aim is to produce selective enzyme candidates that neutralize harmful antibodies without broadly suppressing immunity.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People whose illness is driven by harmful IgG antibodies—for example patients with autoantibody-mediated autoimmune diseases or those experiencing antibody-dependent enhancement during infections—would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions are not caused by IgG antibodies, or who depend on intact antibody functions to fight infections, are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could neutralize disease-causing antibodies and reduce tissue damage in autoimmune diseases or severe antibody-enhanced infections without broadly weakening overall immunity.
How similar studies have performed: Natural bacterial enzymes like EndoS have shown in laboratory and animal studies that removing IgG glycans can blunt antibody effector functions, but engineered therapeutic versions remain early-stage and unproven in humans.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sundberg, Eric John — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Sundberg, Eric John
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.