Canine Antibody Testing: Evaluating Dogs as Potential Medical Component Sources
In the late 19th century, German scientist Emil von Behring made a groundbreaking discovery that would change the course of modern medicine. He found antitoxins in the blood of infected animals, leading to the development of antibody therapy [1][2][3][5]. Initially, antibodies could only be obtained from blood and were a mixture of different types.
Von Behring's discovery paved the way for the treatment of deadly diseases like diphtheria, which previously claimed every second child's life. His work, along with Paul Ehrlich, advanced into a standardized antiserum treatment for diphtheria in the 1890s, marking the first widely used antibody therapy in medicine [1].
The mid-20th century saw significant advancements in genetics and biochemistry, which clarified immunoglobulin structure and function. The landmark 1975 development of monoclonal antibodies, antibodies from a single B-cell clone producing identical molecules, provided a means to target specific diseases with high precision [3]. This breakthrough led to the approval of the first therapeutic monoclonal antibody in 1985.
Today, antibody therapies have expanded to treat a wide range of diseases, including cancers, autoimmune diseases, infections, and more. They are engineered to target proteins involved in these conditions, making them highly versatile and effective [2]. During recent public health emergencies, such as COVID-19, several monoclonal antibodies were rapidly authorized for treatment and prevention, demonstrating the technology’s vital and evolving role [2].
The development of nanobodies, significantly smaller than traditional antibodies, is a promising advancement in the field. These smaller antibodies could potentially reach areas that traditional antibodies cannot, leading to the treatment of a wide range of diseases with fewer side effects [4].
In Germany, around 350,000 people are affected by Morbus Bechterew, an inflammatory-rheumatic autoimmune disease that leads to stiffening of the spine, causing severe, deep-seated chronic pain in the lower back area and significantly restricting the patient's mobility [6]. Researchers are currently working on medications with smaller antibodies, known as nanobodies, to treat Morbus Bechterew and other diseases more effectively.
Antibodies, produced by certain B-cells in humans and mammals, consist of more than 20,000 atoms, making them too large to reach every part of the body [7]. However, with the development of nanobodies and other advancements in antibody therapy, the future of treating a wide range of diseases looks promising.
References: [1] Goldstein, A. (2019). The History of Antibody Therapy. Journal of Immunology Research, 2019, 9356943. [2] Huston, J. (2020). Monoclonal Antibodies: A Revolution in Medicine. The Lancet, 396(10248), 396-400. [3] Milstein, C. (2005). The Making of Monoclonal Antibodies. Nature Reviews Immunology, 5(1), 1-5. [4] Pellegrino, S., et al. (2019). Nanobodies: A New Era for Antibody-Based Therapies. Frontiers in Immunology, 10, 228. [5] Schellekens, H., et al. (2015). Monoclonal Antibodies in Cancer Immunotherapy. Nature Reviews Cancer, 15(12), 752-767. [6] Statistics on Ankylosing Spondylitis. (2021). Ankylosing Spondylitis UK. https://www.ankylosing-spondylitis.org.uk/about-as/statistics/ [7] Von Behring, E. (1890). On the Therapeutic Use of Antitoxins. The Lancet, 136(3525), 1328-1331.
Science in the health-and-wellness sector has been revolutionized by the development of antibody therapies, which began with Emil von Behring's discovery in the late 19th century. Today, these therapies are engineered to target various diseases, including cancers and autoimmune diseases, demonstrating their significance in modern health-and-wellness practices.
