Novel antibodies as anticancer agents

Abstract

In recent years antibodies, whether generated by traditional hybridoma technology or by recombinant DNA strategies, have evolved from Paul Ehrlich's 'magic bullets' to a modern age 'guided missile'. In the recent years of immunologic research, we are witnessing development in the fields of antigen screening and protein engineering in order to create specific anticancer remedies. The developments in the field of recombinant DNA, protein engineering and cancer biology have let us gain insight into many cancer-related mechanisms. Moreover, novel techniques have facilitated tools allowing unique distinction between malignantly transformed cells, and regular ones. This understanding has paved the way for the rational design of a new age of pharmaceuticals: monoclonal antibodies and their fragments. Antibodies can select antigens on both a specific and a high-affinity account, and further implementation of these qualities is used to target cancer cells by specifically identifying exogenous antigens of cancer cell populations. The structure of the antibody provides plasticity resonating from its functional sites. This review will screen some of the many novel antibodies and antibody-based approaches that are being currently developed for clinical applications as the new generation of anticancer agents.

Monocytes and Macrophages in Cancer: Development and Functions

“…They have been used to target, and generally kill, certain tumor cells as well as blocking the factors that promote recruitment or drive tumor progression [91]. Unfortunately, the tremendous heterogeneity of macrophage populations and redundancy of cell-surface markers has made it difficult to use adaptive immune-based techniques, such as cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) or monoclonal antibodies, to specifically target TAMs.…”

Reduced incidence of infusion‐related reactions in metastatic colorectal cancer during treatment with cetuximab plus irinotecan with combined corticosteroid and antihistamine premedication

“…1,2 In common with many other types of anticancer agents, such as platinum analogs, 3,4 taxanes, 5 and epothilones, 6 therapeutic MoAbs, such as cetuximab, panitumumab, bevacizumab, rituximab or trastuzumab, can induce hypersensitivity or infusion-related reactions (IRRs). 7 Although the exact mechanism responsible for such reactions is generally not clear and may well differ for individual agents and/or patients, the majority of IRRs are consistent with type I hypersensitivity responses, which are caused by the rapid release of immune modulators and inflammatory cytokines from responsive cells in tissues following exposure to a therapeutic agent.…”

Antibody research targeting Cathepsin S for cancer therapy

“…The advent of monoclonal antibody technology has revolutionized the pharmacological capacity to both specifically block protein-protein interactions [16] and deliver cytotoxic events to a tumor-specific antigen [17]. The combination of high affinity, long in vivo half-life and low background toxicity has made human monoclonal antibody a useful anti-cancer tool [18]. Whilst there are also small molecule approaches to specifically inhibiting a protein drug target, the large antibody-antigen binding surface provided by a monoclonal antibody approach becomes critical when targeting an individual member of a family of structurally related proteins such as Cathepsin family.…”