Sarah Stenger

Define the impact of shift work on autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases

The effector function of an IgG antibody is highly influenced by its Fc N-glycosylation. In case of autoantibodies it is known that a switch to more pathogenic antibodies correlates with an increase in agalactosylated IgG molecules. Treatments with Biologica, like anti-TNFa, lead to changes in IgG Fc N-glycosylation patterns linked to a less inflammatory state. Based on these findings, we here will investigate the effect of Biologica in different autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms that facilitate changes in Fc N-glycosylation patterns shall be analyzed.