Question:- Who led the research which has succeeded in producing human antibodies in the laboratory?
(a) Facundo Batista
(b) Elizabeth Blackburn
(c) Rita Levi-Montalcini
(d) Ralph M. Steinman
Answer :- (a)
Related facts:-
- According to reports dated July 25, 2017, Researchers, led by Facundo Batista from the Francis Crick Institute in the UK, produced specific human antibodies in the laboratory by treating patient-derived B cells with tiny nanoparticles coated with both CpG oligonucleotides and an antigen.
- With this technique, CpG oligonucleotides are only internalized into B cells that recognise the specific antigen, and these cells are therefore the only ones in which TLR9 is activated to induce their proliferation and development into antibody-secreting plasma cells.
- The team successfully demonstrated their approach using various bacterial and viral antigens, including the tetanus toxoid and proteins from several strains of influenza A.
- In each case, the researchers were able to produce specific, high-affinity antibodies in just a few days. Some of the anti-influenza antibodies generated by the technique recognised multiple strains of the virus and were able to neutralise its ability to infect cells.
- The procedure does not depend on the donors having been previously exposed to any of these antigens through vaccination or infection.
- This method will allow the production of these antibodies within a shorter time frame in vitro and without the need for vaccination or blood/serum donation from recently infected or vaccinated individuals.
- This method offers the potential to accelerate the development of new vaccines by allowing the efficient evaluation of candidate target antigens.
Reference:
http://jem.rupress.org/content/early/2017/07/26/jem.20170633