IgG and IgM cooperate in coating of intestinal bacteria in IgA deficiency.

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is acknowledged to play a role in the defence of the mucosal barrier by coating microorganisms. Surprisingly, IgA-deficient humans exhibit few infection-related complications, raising the question if the more specific IgG may help IgM in compensating for the lack of IgA. Here we employ a cohort of IgA-deficient humans, each paired with IgA-sufficient household members, to investigate multi-Ig bacterial coating.

Engineering and design considerations for next-generation snakebite antivenoms.

Snakebite envenoming is a devastating Neglected Tropical Disease, the treatment of which has seen relatively little innovation since the invention of antivenom serotherapy in 1894. Current antivenoms have been and continue to be invaluable in saving thousands of lives. However, these medicines are associated with a number of drawbacks pertaining to availability, safety, and efficacy.

Toxin Neutralization Using Alternative Binding Proteins.

Animal toxins present a major threat to human health worldwide, predominantly through snakebite envenomings, which are responsible for over 100,000 deaths each year. To date, the only available treatment against snakebite envenoming is plasma-derived antivenom. However, despite being key to limiting morbidity and mortality among snakebite victims, current antivenoms suffer from several drawbacks, such as immunogenicity and high cost of production.