Engineered antibodies: A new tool for use in diabetes research

Abstract 

A revolution has occurred in the field of antibody engineering since Kohler and Milstein described a technique for the production of monoclonal antibodies in 1975. Their paper paved the way for future discoveries which have culminated in the use of recombinant antibody fragments in the treatment of diseases and their widespread use in research.

This article will highlight some of these advances (scFv and Fab production, phage and ribosome display) as well as looking at the different uses of these recombinant antibody fragments in research and the treatment/diagnosis of disease. In particular, we will focus on the role of rFabs in mapping disease specific epitopes in diabetic patients and the promise this holds for the future.

The methodology of genetic engineering has made it possible to produce tailor-made antibodies which do not depend on animal vehicles. The applications of these rFab are widespread. Many developments in diabetes diagnostics have come through innovations in antibody technology.

The further development of techniques for producing recombinant antibodies will ultimately lead to even greater improvements in therapeutics and diagnostics for a number of different human diseases.

Keywords: scFv, Fab, Insulin, Type 1 diabetes, Autoantibodies