In Vitro Antibody Screening via Antigen Conjugation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional passive serum therapy faces challenges in producing antibodies efficiently and cost-effectively, as it involves injecting antigens into animal immune systems, affecting physiological activity and requiring lengthy processes to select antibodies specific to target diseases.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for screening antibodies outside the body by preparing serum with target and non-target antibodies, using specific antigens to form conjugates, and selectively separating target antibodies through antigen-antibody reactions, without directly injecting antigens, utilizing antigens like LTA and LPS from Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If antigens are injected into animal immune systems to produce antibodies, then antibodies can be produced through immune system activation, but the process becomes time-consuming and costly with reduced immune system activity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the antibody production process into two independent stages: (1) in vitro production of polyclonal antibodies using purified antigens and serum samples, and (2) in vitro selection of target-specific antibodies using antigen-antibody conjugation and separation techniques. This segmentation eliminates the need for in vivo immune system activation, dramatically reducing production time while maintaining efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary antibody production in vitro before any selection process. By pre-producing polyclonal antibodies containing both target-specific and non-target antibodies, the system eliminates the time-consuming in vivo immune response phase and enables parallel processing of multiple antibody candidates simultaneously.
2Productivity
If conventional serum therapy is used to produce antibodies, then antibodies can be obtained, but the cost and time for producing disease-specific antibodies increase considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes only the essential functional components (purified antigens and serum samples) needed for antibody production, eliminating unnecessary components of conventional methods such as live animal immune systems. This extraction approach reduces material costs and simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining antibody production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates in vitro copies of the immune response process by using purified antigens to stimulate antibody production in serum samples, replacing the need for actual animal or human immune systems. This copying approach significantly reduces ethical concerns, animal usage costs, and production complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple types of antibodies are produced through immune system differentiation, then diverse antibody responses to different epitopes are achieved, but screening for target-specific antibodies becomes necessary and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces purified target antigens as intermediaries to facilitate the selection of target-specific antibodies. By using these antigen intermediaries in conjugation reactions, the system automatically enriches for target-specific antibodies while removing non-target antibodies through separation techniques, greatly simplifying the screening process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the antibody mixture through controlled conjugation reactions with target antigens. By adjusting parameters such as antigen concentration, incubation time, and separation conditions, the system selectively enriches target-specific antibodies while removing non-target antibodies, transforming a complex screening problem into a controlled physical-chemical process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the production and screening of antibodies specific to target diseases at reduced cost and time, without altering the immune system or physiological activity, using a process that can be repeated multiple times for high yield and purification.
Implementation Method 1
providing the serum with a first antigen that specifically binds the target antibody to obtain a first mixture comprising the target antibody, the first conjugate of the first antigen, and the non-target antibody
Implementation Method 2
providing the second mixture with a second antigen that specifically binds the redundant non-target antibody to form a second conjugate consisting of the redundant non-target antibody and the second antigen
Data Source
AI summary
A method of screening an antibody comprises preparing a serum having a target antibody and a non-target antibody; providing the serum with a first antigen that specifically binds the target antibody to obtain a first mixture; selectively obtaining the first conjugate by separating the first conjugate from the non-target antibody in the first mixture; dissociating the first conjugate, and a redundant non-target antibody adsorbed to the first conjugate into the first antigen, the target antibody and the redundant non-target antibody; removing the first antigen to obtain a second mixture of the target antibody and the redundant non-target antibody; providing the second mixture with a second antigen to form a second conjugate, so that third mixture including the target antibody and the second conjugate may be obtained; and selectively obtaining a target antibody by separating the second conjugate from the target antibody in the third mixture.