The potential of intracellular antibodies for therapeutic targeting of protein-misfolding diseases

Trends Mol Med. 2008 Sep;14(9):373-80. doi: 10.1016/j.molmed.2008.07.004. Epub 2008 Aug 5.

Abstract

Misfolding diseases are a wide group of devastating disorders characterized by the accumulation of pathological protein aggregates. Although these disorders still lack an effective treatment, new antibody-based strategies are emerging and entering clinical trials. The intrabody approach is a gene-based technology developed to neutralize or modify the function of intracellular and extracellular target antigens. Because intrabodies can potentially target all the different isoforms of a misfolding-prone protein, including pathological conformations, they are emerging as therapeutic molecules for the treatment of misfolding diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's and prion diseases. This review will provide a description of the intrabody approach, an update of preclinical studies on misfolding diseases and an outlook on the intrabody delivery issue for therapeutic purposes.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies / therapeutic use*
  • Brain Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Brain Diseases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Space / immunology*
  • Protein Engineering
  • Protein Folding*

Substances

  • Antibodies