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Characterization of a recombinant plant monoclonal secretory antibody and preventive immunotherapy in humans

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Abstract

A functional comparison was made between a monoclonal secretory antibody generated in transgenic plants and its parent murine IgC antibody .The affinity constants of both antibodies for a Streptococcus mutans adhesion protein were similar. However the secretory antibody had a higher functional affinity due to its dimeric structure. In the human oral cavity, the secretory antibody survived for up to three days, compared with one day for the IgG antibody. The plant secretory antibody afforded specific protection in humans against oral streptococcal colonization for at least four months. We demonstrate that transgenic plants can be used to produce high affinity, monoclonal secretory antibodies that can prevent specific microbial colonization in humans. These findings could be extended to the immunotherapeutic prevention of other mucosal infections in humans and animals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology, United Medical and Dental Schools, Guy's Hospital, 28th Floor, Guy's Tower, London Bridge, London, SE1 9RT, UK

    Julian K.-C. Ma, Ban Y. Hikmat, Nicholas D. Vine, Daniel Chargelegue & Thomas Lehner

  2. Planet Biotechnology Inc., 2438, Wyandotte Street, Mountain View, CA, 94043

    Keith Wycoff & Lloyd Yu

  3. The Scripps Research Institute, 10550, N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037, USA

    Mich B. Hein

Authors
  1. Julian K.-C. Ma
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  2. Ban Y. Hikmat
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  3. Keith Wycoff
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  4. Nicholas D. Vine
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  5. Daniel Chargelegue
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  6. Lloyd Yu
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  7. Mich B. Hein
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  8. Thomas Lehner
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Ma, JC., Hikmat, B., Wycoff, K. et al. Characterization of a recombinant plant monoclonal secretory antibody and preventive immunotherapy in humans. Nat Med 4, 601–606 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0598-601

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0598-601

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