Death receptors of the TNF family are found on the surface of most cancer cells and their activation typically kills cancer cells through the stimulation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. The endogenous ligand for death receptors 4 and 5 (DR4 and DR5) is TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, TRAIL (Apo2L). As most untransformed cells are not susceptible to TRAIL-induced apoptosis, death receptor activators have emerged as promising cancer therapeutic agents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmune recognition of protein antigens relies on the combined interaction of multiple antibody loops, which provide a fairly large footprint and constrain the size and shape of protein surfaces that can be targeted. Single protein loops can mediate extremely high-affinity binding, but it is unclear whether such a mechanism is available to antibodies. Here we report the isolation and characterization of an antibody called C05, which neutralizes strains from multiple subtypes of influenza A virus, including H1, H2 and H3.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFErbB3 is an important regulator of tumorigenesis and is implicated in development of resistance to several currently used oncology drugs. We have identified ErbB3 inhibitors based on a novel biologic scaffold termed a surrobody. Two of these inhibitors appear to work by a previously unrecognized mechanism of action.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfluenza viruses elude immune responses and antiviral chemotherapeutics through genetic drift and reassortment. As a result, the development of new strategies that attack a highly conserved viral function to prevent and/or treat influenza infection is being pursued. Such novel broadly acting antiviral therapies would be less susceptible to virus escape and provide a long lasting solution to the evolving virus challenge.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSurrobodies(2) are a unique type of binding protein based on the pre-B-cell receptor (pre-BCR). The pre-BCR is transiently expressed during development of the antibody repertoire. Unlike heterotetrameric canonical antibodies that are composed of identical pairs of heavy and light chains, the pre-BCR is a heterohexameric complex composed of identical pairs of heavy chains that are each paired with a two-subunit surrogate light chain (SLC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA unique type of combinatorial protein libraries has been constructed. These libraries are based on the pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR). The pre-BCR is a protein that is produced during normal development of the antibody repertoire.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe widespread incidence of H5N1 influenza viruses in bird populations poses risks to human health. Although the virus has not yet adapted for facile transmission between humans, it can cause severe disease and often death. Here we report the generation of combinatorial antibody libraries from the bone marrow of five survivors of the recent H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in Turkey.
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