BACKGROUND: Antibody engineering facilitates the construction of different antibody formats [single chain variable fragment (scFv), diabody, full-size chimeric monoclonal antibody] with ease. METHODS: We constructed recombinant antibodies against HCG, which is widely used in pregnancy testing and is also produced by a number of cancers. RESULTS: The recombinant antibodies were transiently expressed in tobacco leaves to levels of up to 40 mg of pure protein per kg fresh leaf weight. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and electrophoretic mobility assay (EMSA) confirmed antibody specificity for the beta subunit of beta-HCG. The efficacy was confirmed by inhibiting HCG induced testosterone production by Leydig cells in vitro and by blocking the HCG induced increase in mouse uterine weight in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Passive immunization with recombinant HCG-specific antibodies may have clinical utility as (i) diagnostic and therapeutic tools for HCG-expressing cancers and (ii) contraceptive measures.
BACKGROUND: Antibody engineering facilitates the construction of different antibody formats [single chain variable fragment (scFv), diabody, full-size chimeric monoclonal antibody] with ease. METHODS: We constructed recombinant antibodies against HCG, which is widely used in pregnancy testing and is also produced by a number of cancers. RESULTS: The recombinant antibodies were transiently expressed in tobacco leaves to levels of up to 40 mg of pure protein per kg fresh leaf weight. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and electrophoretic mobility assay (EMSA) confirmed antibody specificity for the beta subunit of beta-HCG. The efficacy was confirmed by inhibiting HCG induced testosterone production by Leydig cells in vitro and by blocking the HCG induced increase in mouse uterine weight in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Passive immunization with recombinant HCG-specific antibodies may have clinical utility as (i) diagnostic and therapeutic tools for HCG-expressing cancers and (ii) contraceptive measures.
Authors: Anatoli Giritch; Sylvestre Marillonnet; Carola Engler; Gerben van Eldik; Johan Botterman; Victor Klimyuk; Yuri Gleba Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2006-09-14 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Frank Sainsbury; Markus Sack; Johannes Stadlmann; Heribert Quendler; Rainer Fischer; George P Lomonossoff Journal: PLoS One Date: 2010-11-12 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Yvonne Rosenberg; Markus Sack; David Montefiori; Donald Forthal; Lingjun Mao; Segundo Hernandez-Abanto; Lori Urban; Gary Landucci; Rainer Fischer; Xiaoming Jiang Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-03-22 Impact factor: 3.240