Monoclonal Antibodies

Introduction

• Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are artificially produced antibodies for large-scale industrial use.
• They can be used for:
  • Diagnosis of diseases
  • Treatment of diseases

Natural Antibody Production

• Plasma cells in the body produce antibodies, but not in sufficient quantities for large-scale needs.
• Artificial production required for significant amounts.

Monoclonal Antibody Production

• Clonal Selection: Identifying a specific B lymphocyte clone.
• Plasma Cell Creation:
  • B lymphocytes undergo clonal expansion by binding to antigens.
  • Plasma cells are produced but need extraction for large-scale production.
• Challenges with Plasma Cells:
  • Short lifespan (only a few days).
  • Cannot undergo mitosis once specialized.
• Hybridoma Technology:
  • Fusion of plasma cells with cancer cells (which divide continuously) through electrofusion.
  • Resulting hybridoma cells combine properties of plasma and cancer cells:
    • Ability to produce antibodies.
    • Ability to undergo mitosis.
  • Selection of hybridoma cells that can produce desired antibodies and divide effectively.
• Culturing Hybridoma Cells:
  • Cells are cultured to increase numbers.
  • Results in mass production of monoclonal antibodies.

Applications of Monoclonal Antibodies

Diagnosis

1. Blood Clots Detection:
   • mAbs can be used to locate blood clots by binding to fibrin in clots.
   • Use of radioactive material attached to mAbs for detection using gamma cameras.
2. Cancer Detection:
   • mAbs bind to overexpressed receptors on cancer cells.
   • Radioactive mAbs help locate and measure the size of tumors using gamma cameras.

Treatment

1. Cancer Treatment (Targeted Therapy):
   • mAbs target specific cancer cell receptors, prompting immune cells to destroy cancer cells.
   • Can deliver drugs directly to cancer cells, minimizing damage to healthy cells.
2. Infectious Disease Treatment:
   • Example: Rabies treatment through passive artificial immunity.
   • Production of mAbs that neutralize virus antigens.

Summary for Exams

• Diagnosis:
  • Detect locations of blood clots and cancer cells.
• Treatment:
  • Targeted therapy to destroy cancer cells.
  • Artificial passive immunity for infectious diseases (e.g., rabies, COVID).

Conclusion

• Monoclonal antibodies provide significant benefits in both diagnosis and treatment, with advancements in targeted therapy and passive immunity solutions.