A recent scientific study has discovered a new and creative method to develop antibodies by combining two immune system proteins. This breakthrough could help scientists understand disease-related proteins better and may lead to new treatments for many illnesses.
The study was carried out by researchers from the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in the USA and the global pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. It was published in the journal Immunity and reported by the science news site EurekAlert.
This research is an important step forward in improving how antibodies are created. Antibodies are used in treating serious diseases like cancer and are also used in medical testing and diagnosis.
What Are Immune Proteins?
Immune proteins help the immune system work properly. They help the body detect harmful substances (called antigens), control immune responses, and manage communication between immune cells.
Antibodies are one of the most important types of immune proteins.
When something harmful enters the body—like a virus, bacteria, or foreign substance—the immune system reacts by producing antibodies. These antibodies attach to the harmful substance and either block it or mark it so that other immune cells can destroy it.
There is also a special kind of lab-made antibody called a monoclonal antibody. These are created from a single immune cell and are designed to target one specific antigen. They are widely used in treating cancer, autoimmune diseases, and in medical research.
The Innovation: A New Way to Combine Proteins
The new study focused on two proteins found on the surface of immune cells. When these two proteins interact, they form a complex protein structure that affects how strongly the immune system responds to threats.
Scientists believe that the balance between free proteins (separate proteins) and the combined protein complex may play a role in certain diseases like lupus, a chronic autoimmune condition. But measuring the levels of these proteins has been difficult until now.
To solve this problem, the researchers created a new, fused protein that joins the two immune proteins together. This fusion made the proteins more stable, making it easier to generate monoclonal antibodies against them.
The team then tested which antibodies were best at attaching to the fused protein. Once they found the right antibody, they used it to measure the levels of both the free proteins and the complex form in different types of immune cells.
First Time Measuring Protein Complexes in Living Cells
This is the first study ever to show that it’s possible to directly measure the complex protein in living immune cells using a specially made antibody.
The ability to measure this complex could be very helpful in understanding and monitoring diseases like lupus and certain types of cancer, such as lymphoma.
Why This Matters
This new method opens doors for:
- Better disease diagnosis
- Monitoring disease progression
- Developing new treatments based on how proteins behave in the body
The findings are a huge step forward in the field of immunology and antibody therapy. As science continues to grow, techniques like this could make it easier to design precise treatments for serious diseases.