Abstract
Polyclonal antibodies collected from the blood of animals and humans experimentally immunised or spontaneously immunised respectively can be injected into patients to protect them against pathogens, toxins, tumours etc. This approach is severely limited by the availability of human polyclonal antibodies of interest. Moreover, polyclonal antibodies from animals are recognised as antigens by patients and are thus rapidly rejected and inactivated. To circumvent this problem, animals (essentially rabbits, chicken, pigs and cows) are being genetically engineered. Their immunoglobulin genes are being inactivated and the corresponding human immunoglobulin genes are being transferred to them. These animals will be immunized and it is expected that large amounts of pure human polyclonal antibodies will be extracted from their blood to be administered to patients. The possible acceptability problem of this approach is under a case study of the European Union Pegasus project.
Highlights
A natural immunisation or a vaccination implies the generation of multiple antibodies (Abs) recognising each a specific region of the antigen, known as epitope
Polyclonal antibodies collected from the blood of animals and humans experimentally immunised or spontaneously immunised respectively can be injected into patients to protect them against pathogens, toxins, tumours etc
This approach is severely limited by the availability of human polyclonal antibodies of interest
Summary
A natural immunisation or a vaccination implies the generation of multiple antibodies (Abs) recognising each a specific region of the antigen, known as epitope. The possibility to bind MAB to various molecules toxic for tumour cells in order to enhance their effects appeared attractive This implied the implementation of methods making it possible the preparation of MABs in sufficient amount. The alternative consists of isolating the MAB genes from the hybridoma and to transfer them into cells (generally CHO, Chinese hamster ovary cells) that can be cultured in large amount in fermentors Another possibility is to transfer the MAB genes into animals or plants and collect the recombinant MABs from milk, egg white, leaves or grains [1,2,3]. Mice have been engineered in such a way as to harbour the human immunoglobulin genes but no more their own immunoglobulin genes The immunisation of these mice induces the formation of strictly human PABs. Human MABs can be prepared from these mice following the method depicted above [4]
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