CD16a

CD16 encodes a receptor that recognizes the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G and is involved in the clearance of immune complexes from the circulation, as well as other functions such as cellular mediated cytotoxicity and enhancement of virus infections. This gene, FCGR3A, shares a high degree of similarity with another nearby gene, FCGR3B, located on chromosome 1. The receptor encoded by this gene is expressed on natural killer (NK) cells as an integral membrane glycoprotein anchored through a transmembrane peptide, while FCGR3B is expressed on polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) where the receptor is anchored through a phosphatidylinositol (PI) linkage. Mutations in this gene have been associated with immunodeficiency 20 and have been linked to susceptibility to recurrent viral infections, susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus, and alloimmune neonatal neutropenia. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. Diseases associated with FCGR3A include Immunodeficiency 20 and Herpes Zoster.