New antibodies towards cancer treatment
Source: huliq.com
Wikipedia
My second post of the day... This is also very interesting.
Researchers are working on making antibodies to stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells better. The antibodies they are using are monoclonal antibodies and their aim is to target these antibodies towards boosting boosting the immune system so that it will evoke a stronger response against cancer.
So...what are these monoclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies that are identical because they are produced by the same cell for a particular antigen. How is it done? Answer is invitro ie... in a lab. I'll elaborate on the significance of monoclonal antibodies.
Basically, in the body, antibodies are produced by the B cells for binding to the various epitopes of an antigen. Such an antibody mixture is called polyclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibodies are synthesised by removing the B cells from mouse for example which has already been exposed to the particular antigen so that it can produce the antibody. Invitro, these B cells cannot continuously produce antibodies since they cannot survive under invitro conditions. So inorder to make them produce indefinitely, they fuse the B cells with myeloma cells (cancerous B cells) so that they can produce the antibodies indefinitely. The fused cell is called a hybridoma cell.
Apart from boosting the immune system, researchers are also trying to tag radioactive isotopes so that the spread of cancer can be detected in the body.
One such antibody anti-CTLA-4 was used to treat melanoma in patients in 1999 and they found significant results (Reduction in tumour). Apart from this, some more monoclonal antibodies are being tested. Its results are not yet out but the researchers expect to get something positive from it.
Wikipedia
My second post of the day... This is also very interesting.
Researchers are working on making antibodies to stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells better. The antibodies they are using are monoclonal antibodies and their aim is to target these antibodies towards boosting boosting the immune system so that it will evoke a stronger response against cancer.
So...what are these monoclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies that are identical because they are produced by the same cell for a particular antigen. How is it done? Answer is invitro ie... in a lab. I'll elaborate on the significance of monoclonal antibodies.
Basically, in the body, antibodies are produced by the B cells for binding to the various epitopes of an antigen. Such an antibody mixture is called polyclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibodies are synthesised by removing the B cells from mouse for example which has already been exposed to the particular antigen so that it can produce the antibody. Invitro, these B cells cannot continuously produce antibodies since they cannot survive under invitro conditions. So inorder to make them produce indefinitely, they fuse the B cells with myeloma cells (cancerous B cells) so that they can produce the antibodies indefinitely. The fused cell is called a hybridoma cell.
Apart from boosting the immune system, researchers are also trying to tag radioactive isotopes so that the spread of cancer can be detected in the body.
One such antibody anti-CTLA-4 was used to treat melanoma in patients in 1999 and they found significant results (Reduction in tumour). Apart from this, some more monoclonal antibodies are being tested. Its results are not yet out but the researchers expect to get something positive from it.
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