How Do mAbs Make Use of Complement to Kill Cancer Cells? The Role of Ca2

Ronald P Taylor; Margaret A Lindorfer

doi:10.3390/antib9030045

How Do mAbs Make Use of Complement to Kill Cancer Cells? The Role of Ca²

Antibodies (Basel). 2020 Sep 4;9(3):45. doi: 10.3390/antib9030045.

Authors

Ronald P Taylor¹, Margaret A Lindorfer¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.

Abstract

We examined the kinetics and mechanisms by which monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) utilize complement to rapidly kill targeted cancer cells. Based on results from flow cytometry, confocal microscopy and high-resolution digital imaging experiments, the general patterns which have emerged reveal cytotoxic activities mediated by substantial and lethal Ca²⁺ fluxes. The Ca²⁺ fluxes are common to the reported pathways that have been utilized by other toxins in killing nucleated cells. These reactions terminate in very high levels of cell killing, and based on these considerations, we suggest additional strategies to further enhance mAb-based targeting of cancer with complement.

Keywords: Ca2+; complement; fluorescence microscopy; therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).

Publication types

Review