Antibody Therapeutics Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards related to antibody therapeutics.

Biological Products

Medical products extracted from or synthesised using natural sources (human, animal or microorganism).

Biologics

A subset of biologicals, predominantly products of recombinant DNA technology and nucleic acid-based products.

Recombinant DNA technology

Technology where DNA (gene) that encodes a protein is inserted into a carrier DNA vector, then introduced into recombinant cells to make the biologic.

Antibodies

Large glycoproteins produced by B cells of the immune system that bind to antigens.

Somatic hypermutation and affinity maturation

Results in billions of theoretical antibody specificities.

Paratope

The binding site on an antibody.

Epitope

The binding site on an antigen.

Polyclonal antibodies

Antibodies generated by multiple B-cell clones, binding to the same or different epitopes on the antigen.

Monoclonal antibodies

Antibodies produced from clonal populations derived from clonal expansion of single cells, with defined sequence.

Constant Regions

Amino acid sequences in the C-terminal regions of heavy and light chains, the same on all antibody molecules of the same class, responsible for effector functions.

Variable Regions

Amino acid sequences in the N-terminal regions of heavy and light chains, containing hyper-variability regions, responsible for antigen binding.

IgG

Most abundant immunoglobulin, enhances phagocytosis, neutralizes toxins and viruses, and protects the fetus and newborn.

IgM

Immunoglobulin effective against microorganisms and agglutinating antigens, the first antibodies produced.

IgA

Immunoglobulin providing localized protection on mucosal surfaces.

IgE

Immunoglobulin involved in allergic reactions and possibly lysis of parasitic worms.

Antigens

Antibody generators, usually proteins or carbohydrates, with antigenic determinants (epitopes) where antibodies bind.

Complementarity Determining Regions (CDR)

Hypervariable regions within the variable region of antibodies that form the paratope.

Serum Therapy

Using serum from immunized animals containing polyclonal antibodies to treat diseases, like diphtheria.

Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC)

Linking a small molecule cytotoxic drug or radiolabel to a targeting antibody to increase therapeutic index and avoid off-target toxicity.

T-cell and NK-cell engaging bispecific antibodies

Bring T-cells (via CD3) or NK-cells (via CD16) into close proximity to tumour cells

Immune Checkpoint inhibitors

Prevent T-cell inhibition by checkpoint interactions.

Hybridoma

Fusion of lymphocyte and myeloma cell to create an immortal, specific antibody secreting cell line.

HAT Selection

Using HAT media to select for hybridoma cells by blocking DNA synthesis in myeloma cells lacking HGPRT.

Phage Display

In-vitro method of antibody isolation using libraries of antibody fragments displayed on bacteriophage coat protein.

Human Anti-Mouse Antibody Response (HAMA)

Immune response against mouse-derived antibody sequences, causing cytokine release, anaphylaxis, and reduced efficacy.

Chimeric antibodies

V domains of mouse antibodies fused to human constant regions.

Humanised antibodies

CDRs of mouse antibodies grafted onto a human antibody framework.

Affinity Maturation

Improving or modifying the binding affinity of an antibody to its antigen.