IgG4

IgG4 is the scarcest human IgG subclass and behaves as the least inflammatory member of the family: it binds C1q negligibly and interacts only weakly with activating Fc gamma receptors, making it poorly inflammatory despite robust antigen binding. Unique among antibodies, IgG4 undergoes Fab-arm exchange through dynamic hinge disulfide reshuffling, generating bispecific molecules that further dampen immune-complex formation. IgG4 dominates responses to chronic allergen and helminth exposure and defines IgG4-related disease, a fibroinflammatory condition. Because of its low effector profile, an IgG4 Fc bearing the stabilizing S228P mutation is the scaffold for checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab.