Function and glycosylation of plant-derived antiviral monoclonal antibody

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Jun 24;100(13):8013-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0832472100. Epub 2003 Jun 10.

Abstract

Plant genetic engineering led to the production of plant-derived mAb (mAbP), which provides a safe and economically feasible alternative to the current methods of antibody production in animal systems. In this study, the heavy and light chains of human anti-rabies mAb were expressed and assembled in planta under the control of two strong constitutive promoters. An alfalfa mosaic virus untranslated leader sequence and Lys-Asp-Glu-Leu (KDEL) endoplasmic reticulum retention signal were linked at the N and C terminus of the heavy chain, respectively. mAbP was as effective at neutralizing the activity of the rabies virus as the mammalian-derived antibody (mAbM) or human rabies Ig (HRIG). The mAbP contained mainly oligomannose type N-glycans (90%) and had no potentially antigenic alpha(1,3)-linked fucose residues. mAbP had a shorter half-life than mAbM. The mAbP was as efficient as HRIG for post-exposure prophylaxis against rabies virus in hamsters, indicating that differences in N-glycosylation do not affect the efficacy of the antibody in this model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / chemistry*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Cricetinae
  • DNA, Complementary / metabolism
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Genes, Plant
  • Glycosylation
  • Mesocricetus
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Models, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nicotiana / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Rabies virus / genetics
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • DNA, Complementary
  • Polysaccharides

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AY172957
  • GENBANK/AY172960