Over the years, antibodies have been widely used to treat many life-threatening disorders such as cancer and other neurological conditions. They are mostly seen as the first line of defense whenever infections attack our bodies.
Today, researchers have developed a sustainable way to therapeutic antibodies through ELISA Kits and other various systems.
However, this hasn’t taken away the numerous chemical and physical methods available for producing antibodies. They deliver a higher production rate and are more efficient in producing antibodies in a well-controlled size and shape. One challenge, however, is that these approaches use toxic chemicals while producing a large amount of bio-waste.
Therapeutic Antibodies; Production and Uses
The sustainable route towards producing therapeutic antibodies has become an area of interest due to its unmatched benefits, both environmentally and economically. The production is non-hazardous and relies on a variety of applications in biomedicine and nanotechnology.
The method is unlike the existing complex techniques that involve the generation of toxic greenhouse gases. Researchers began manufacturing biphasic systems using choline bicarbonate, natural plant acids, and polymer polypropylene glycol to ensure the current production is more eco-friendly. They then tested the efficiency of this system in extracting and purifying antibodies from different sources.
As a result, most industrial antibodies found in the market represent an essential therapeutic solution for various ailments. They are predominantly one of the most used antibody drugs in the pharmaceutical market due to their fewer adverse effects and greater efficiency. Numerous approaches are used for the creation of therapeutic antibodies. Such include;
- From Existing Antibodies
Sometimes an existing antibody against a target antigen is isolated from a patient. For instance, researchers can use the lymph nodes obtained from cancer patients after tumor removal. These lymph nodes have several tumor-infiltrating antibodies. The antibodies can also be obtained from bone marrow or tonsils.
- Obtained From a Library of Antibodies
Therapeutic antibodies can also be obtained for a library of antibodies usually created using a molecular technique. They can then be screened in vitro for binding to a target antigen. Through a phage display library, an extensive collection of sequences is introduced into a virus that infects bacteria such that each virus copy produces a single antibody or antibody fragment.
- Obtained From Immunized Animals
This involves immunizing an animal with the target antigen. It’s considered one of the most technically feasible methods used in industrial antibody production. The animal’s B cells for producing a therapeutic antibody with specificity for the target are obtained by harvesting spleen cells. However, you may develop an immune response to the antibody sequence when exposed to animal antibodies.
Why Is There A Need For Industrial Therapeutic Antibodies?
When an immunogen threatens your body, it releases antibodies from the immune system’s B cells to provide counter protection. Each B cell recognizes a different antigen in its specificity. Once they are in contact, the cell is triggered to make copies of itself, with each cell secreting these antibodies. They then block immunogen to prevent infections.
However, this entire process can take up to 2 weeks before the B cells mount a response and start producing antibodies. As such, your body doesn’t have a sufficient concentration of antibodies to neutralize the infection threat for the short-term period. Which in turn allows the bacteria or virus enough time to multiply and race against your immune system.
This, among many other reasons, is key behind the increasing importance of therapeutic antibodies created from a B-cell clone. They are now a predominant treatment modality for various bacterial and viral body infections. At present, there are several FDA-approved antibodies against cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, antiviral prophylaxis, among other ailments.
Whether your body produces enough antibodies or not, you need these industrial antibodies as part of treatment. Their strength against any infection varies depending on the dosage and how dissimilar the immunogen is to the body’s molecules. Here are some of the ways these antibodies work
- Through Neutralization
Most therapeutic antibodies work by preventing the target cell from functioning. The antibodies bind to the cell surface, neutralizing them hence inhibiting the pathogenic effects.This type of antibody treatment is commonly applied in tumor treatment.
Neutralization is considered more effective due to its cell-binding method. Binding allows it to block the activity of the target molecule, which results in reduced activity of the tumor cells and constrained multiplication.
- Through ADCC and CDC
Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADDC) and Complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) methods involve deploying the body’s natural immune systems to attack the target cells. Here, the antibodies bind to a target antigen to form a membrane attack complex. This causes natural lysis of the target cell.
- Drug Delivery Carrier
Unlike those mentioned above, this method is quite simple. Here, antibodies are used as mere transportation and delivery mechanisms for drugs, toxins, or cytokines to the vital body organs.
The drugs or cytokines are added to the antibodies to form one substance. These drugs are then delivered in the company of antibodies to the body parts attacked by infection. The advantage of using the drug delivery method in administering antibodies is that it’s highly targeted. As a result, it’s safer for the surrounding healthy cells.
Final Thoughts
Therapeutic antibodies are typically designed to be fast-acting. They can react to infection right away, taking much of the strain from the body’s immune system. However, experts suggest repeated use to maintain efficacy and long-lasting effects.
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