Monoclonal Antibodies and Interferons (IFNs)

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Monoclonal Antibodies

• Antibodies derived from a single clone of cells which recognize only one kind of antigen, are called monoclonal antibodies.
• The technique of producing monoclonal antibodies by fusing normal antibody - producing cells with cells from cancerous tumors was introduced by Georges Kohler and Cesar Milstein in 1970.
• The major steps in the production of monoclonal antibodies with hybrid cultures are mentioned below
• First of all a mouse , rat or some other animal is injected with specific antigen ( against which the antibodies are required ).
• The animal starts developing antibodies against the antigen in B - lymphocyte cells in spleen.
• The spleen of animal is removed and its B - lymphocyte cells are isolated.
• Similarly , the cells producing bone marrow cancer ( myeloma cells ) are isolated . These cells should not be able to synthesise their own nutrients.
• The two types of cells ( i.e. , myeloma cells and antibody - producing cells ) are made to fuse in cultures . The fused cells are called hybridomas.
• The entire culture is shifted to a medium deficient in the nutrient needed by the myeloma cells where myeloma cells can not survive . In this medium all the unfused myeloma cells die and only hybridoma cells survive.
• The surviving hybridoma cells are allowed to multiply separately and each clone is tested for its ability to produce a desired antibody.
• The clones which show positive results are isolated and cultured for large scale production of the antibody.
• Monoclonal antibodies are highly specific for specific antigens and can be easily cultured outside the body.
• These antibodies are, therefore , more effective and ideal for diagnosis of some specific diseases.
• One of the most effective applications of monoclonal antibodies is immune suppression for kidney transplantation.

Interferons ( IFNs )

• Interferons are the antiviral glycoproteins ( called cytokines ) functioning as immune regulators or lymphokines produced by the infected cells in response to viral infections ( discovered in 1957 by Alec Issacs and Jean Lindenmann ).
• These proteins are produced by most body cells on exposure to viruses.
• They diffuse to neighbouring cells and trigger a reaction that neutralizes the particular viruses.
• Some interferons also neutralize other viruses and , therefore, prevent viral infections.
• They also inhibit cellular proliferation and modulate the immune system of the organism.
• There are three major classes of interferons
• Interferons - a ( IFN - a )
• This kind of interferon is produced when leucocytes and lymphocytes are exposed to virus.
• Interferon - b ( IFN - b )
• These are produced by fibroblasts , epithelial cells , macro phytes and leucocytes in response to viral infection.
• Interferon - g ( IFN - g )
• These are produced by T - lymphocytes induced by antigenic stimulation
• Until recently the only source of interferons was human white blood cells or virus infected human cells grown in tissue culture.
• Production of human interferon by cloning of genes in colon bacilli was started in 1980 by two American scientists Gilbert and Weissmann.
• The work triggered a wave of experimentation resulting in the production of interferons in large amounts by recombinant DNA technology.
• The interferons ( particularly IFN - a ) are used on a significant scale for the treatment of hepatitis - B.
• Interferons are also being tested for the treatment of cancer and some viral diseases including AIDS.

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