How to enable light to switch on and off therapeutic antibodies

When antigens such as a virus or bacteria invade our body, the immune system springs into action: it creates antibodies that stick to the antigens so that they can identify and destroy the intruders. Did you know that these Y-shaped proteins, AKA antibodies, have been revolutionizing the treatment of cancer, inflammatory disease and autoimmune disease, and many others? Therapeutic antibodies […]

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Engineering B cells to express pathogen-specific antibodies to protect against infection

Antibodies are currently in use to treat diseases that range from cancer to autoimmunity and are usually administered to patients in multiple doses, much like medical drugs. However, the production and storage of antibodies are comparatively more expensive, with considerable interest on finding alternative strategies to deliver them. In a recent study, Howell F. Moffett and an interdisciplinary research team […]

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Antibodies linked to heart attacks

Levels of antiphospholipid antibodies, which are associated with rheumatic diseases, are also elevated in myocardial infarction without any autoimmune co-morbidity, a study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in Annals of Internal Medicine reports. Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are a group of antibodies that target endogenous tissue, including the fat molecule cardiolipin and the plasma protein β2glycoprotein-I. Cardiolipin is found in […]

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