Lecture 5 - mAbs Flashcards
Which cell type produces Ig and is used in the lab as an ‘Ig producing factory’?
Plasma cells
What is a monoclonal antibody?
A population of Ab’s from a single B cell clone
i.e., they all have the same specificity
What factors give mAbs great therapeutic potential?
- Well tolerated (come from us)
- Very high specificity
- Long-lived
What is the half-life of Ab?
Several weeks
Which types of diseases are mAbs mainly used for at the moment?
- Malignancies
* Auto-immune conditions
What are ‘The Big 5’ mAbs?
- Adalimumab (Anti-TNF)
- Infliximab (Anti-TNF)
- Trastizumab (Anti-HER2)
- Bevacizumab (Anti-VEGFA)
- Rituximab (Anti-CD20)
What is the name of Anti-TNF?
Remicade (Infliximab)
Humira (Adalimumab)
What is the name for Anti-CD20?
Rituximab
What is the name for Anti-VEGFA?
Avastin / Bevacizumab
What is the name for Anti-HER2?
Herceptin / Trastuzumab
What recognition did the researchers who came up with mAbs receive?
Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1984
Describe the process of harvesting mAbs from mice
- Mice spleen cells + myeloma cells
- Fusion
- Hybridomas
- Culture in drug
- Selection of positive cells
- Harvest of mAbs
What are the shortcomings of mAbs from mice?
- They are recognised as foreign and thus have a short half life
- The ‘mice’ constant region means that they are lacking some effector functions
Describe ‘Humanisation’ of mice mAb
- CDR grafting in vitro
• Mouse variable region grafted onto human constant region
• Ig are fully human apart from the CDRs
• Longer half life in serum (than fully mouse)
2. Transgenic mice • Have human Ig genes • Challenge mice with antigen • Mice produce human Ig • Very good half life
- Harvesting from humans
• Harvest B cells from immune individual
• Fuse with EBV to immortalise cells
• Screening to select for the desired specificity
• Ig isolation
How good are humanised mAbs raised in vitro?
Still fairly crude
Describe mAbs raised in transgenic mice
Transgenic mice:
• have human Ig genes (C or V & C)
These mAbs are really good because they contain barely any mice parts
Describe mAb generation from humans
- Infected human with high affinity, IgG
- Memory cells collected
- Immortalisation: Memory cells infected with EBV
- Screening
- mAbs harvesting
What are the advantages and disadvantages of mAbs from infected humans?
Pros:
• not rejected by patients
• mAbs have specificity that was effective at clearing the infection
Cons:
• Specificities limited to foreign immunogens
What are human mAbs most often used for?
Passive immunisation
What are the pros of passive immunisation?
Useful when a very quick immune response is needed (HIV, SARS, influenza)
What is ‘naked mAb’ useful for?
ADCC: Antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity
CDC: cell dependent cytotoxicity
What are some ways we can ‘arm’ mAbs?
Multistep targeting: • Bispecific mAb Immunoconjugates: • Radioimmunoconjugate • Immunocytokine • Immunotoxin • Immunoliposome • Cellular immunoconjugates
Describe Radioimmunoconjugates
Radioactive substance conjugates to a mAb which is specific for a tumour cell
Describe Immunocytokines
Cytokine conjugated to a mAb specific for a tumour cell
Describe Cellular immunoconjugates
mAb bispecific for tumour cell and killer cell
This brings the killer cell right to the tumour cell
What are the mechanisms of action of mAbs?
- Ligand blockade
- Receptor blockade
- Target cell depletion
- Target cell activation
Which mAb is used against Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis & Crohn’s disease?
Anti-TNFa:
• Remicade (Infliximab)
• Humira (Adalimumab)
Which mAb is used for anti-angiogenesis and cancer therapy?
Anti-VEGFA:
• Avastin (Bevacizumab)