The constant region of immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies is responsible for their effector immune mechanism and prolongs serum half-life, while the fragment variable (Fv) region is responsible for cellular or tissue targeting. Therefore, antibody engineering for cancer therapeutics focuses on both functional efficacy of the constant region and tissue- or cell-specificity of the Fv region. In the functional aspect of therapeutic purposes, antibody engineers in both academia and industry have capitalized on the constant region of different IgG subclasses and engineered the constant region to enhance therapeutic efficacy against cancer, leading to a number of successes for cancer patients in clinical settings. In this article, we review IgG subclasses for cancer therapeutics, including i) IgG1, ii) IgG2, 3, and 4, iii) recent findings on Fc receptor functions, and iv) future directions of reprogramming the constant region of IgG to maximize the efficacy of antibody drug molecules in cancer patients.
Keywords: Fc receptors; cancer therapy; immunoglobulin G; therapeutic antibodies.