AntiGenX is a new pharmaceutical company working on developing therapeutic antib

Question

AntiGenX is a new pharmaceutical company working on developing therapeutic antibodies. However, their products so far have had varying success. Listed below are the first five drugs AntiGenX has been working on creating. Answer the questions about the results obtained with each drug.

b). Stimatu monoclonal antibody (Stimatumab, aka “Stim”) is a human monoclonal IgG antibody that activates muscle cells to divide and increase muscle mass. Researchers are trying to develop antibodies against Stim that prevent it from binding to muscle cells and activating them They are very excited after finding that several anti-Stim antibodies are produced in mice in response to being injected with Stim and plan to determine the DNA sequences encoding these anti-Stim antibodies. To verify that these are specific anti-Stim antibodies they perform an indirect ELISA but find that the antibodies from mice bind to any human IgG antibody used to coat the ELISA plate.

            i. Explain this reactivity (why do the anti-Stim antibodies react with all human IgG antibodies?). (1 point)

            ii. To block the interaction of Stim with its target most effectively, what type of anti-Ig antibody would you need? (1 point)

Explanation / Answer

Stim is a monoclonal IgG antibody. There are 4 IgG subclass and their structures are nearly similar. Genes encoding them are 90-95% homologous. So they differ only in the size of hinge region. Because of the high similarities in structures, the antibodies are showing cross reactivity.

The scientists need antibody specific to the hinge region of the stim protein.

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