[Recombinant antibodies: towards a new generation of antivenoms?].
Poisoning by scorpion venoms is a major health hazard in tropical and subtropical regions and serum therapy, which was discovered in 1894, remains the only specific treatment. No real progress has been made since this time and the therapeutic use of antivenoms which still consists in polyclonal antibody fragments from the sera of immunized animals may be associated with major drawbacks. Protein engineering now allows to design novel recombinant antibody fragments which are superior to polyclonal antivenoms in homogeneity, specific activity and possibly safety. Several single-chain antibody fragments (scFvs) which neutralize scorpion toxins have been produced and characterized over the last few years. These scFvs can also be used as building blocks to engineer more complex structures including multivalent monospecific antibody fragments (diabodies, triabodies) and bispecific molecules (tandem-scFv). Some of these molecules neutralize scorpion neurotoxins and protect mice from experimental envenoming. Thus, research projects currently underway suggest that new strategies might soon be available to treat poisonings in the absence of socio-economic considerations.
Aubrey
Nicolas
N
Faculté de Pharmacie, Laboratoire de Biochimie générale et Biothérapies, 31, avenue Monge, F37200 Tours, France.
Muzard
Julien
J
Juste
Matthieu
M
Billiald
Philippe
P
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000997:Antivenins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000633:toxicity
D000906:Antibodies; D000997:Antivenins; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012604:Scorpion Venoms