Antibacterial IgM is better at activating the complement system than IgG and the mechanism by which this occurs is different between these two types of antibodies. In addition, IgM can provide broader protection against different bacteria than IgG via a newly identified cross-reactivity mechanism. These findings provide fundamental insights into the mechanisms of IgM in human immunity against bacteria and may accelerate the development of antibody therapies against problematic infections, concluded Remy Muts (UMC Utrecht) in his PhD thesis that he defended on April 17 at Utrecht University.
