Monoklonale

Monoklonale, or monoclonal antibodies, are laboratory-produced molecules engineered to act as substitute antibodies that can restore, enhance, or mimic the immune system's attack on targeted cells. They are derived from a single B-cell clone and bind to a specific antigen epitope, enabling highly selective targeting. The concept was developed in the 1970s by Georges Köhler and César Milstein, earning a Nobel Prize, and has since transformed diagnostics and therapy.

Production and types: Monoclonal antibodies are produced by hybridoma technology or recombinant DNA methods. Hybridomas fuse an antibody-producing B cell with a myeloma cell to create an immortal cell line that secretes a single antibody. Modern methods use recombinant expression in mammalian cells. Antibodies can be categorized as murine, chimeric, humanized, or fully human, reflecting their origin and degree of human protein sequence content.

Mechanisms and uses: Monoclonal antibodies can neutralize pathogens or toxins, block receptor signaling, recruit immune effector functions such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), or deliver cytotoxic agents to target cells. Clinically, they are used to treat cancers (for example trastuzumab for HER2-positive breast cancer; rituximab for B-cell lymphomas), autoimmune diseases (adalimumab, infliximab), and infectious diseases. They are also essential tools in diagnostics and basic research.

Considerations: Therapeutic monoclonals are typically administered by infusion or injection and have long half-lives; however, risks include infusion reactions, immunogenicity, and infections. High cost and the need for specialized manufacturing and monitoring are common challenges. Ongoing development includes bispecific antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates to expand mechanisms of action.