The binding of antibodies to antigens occurs as a result of the interaction between the paratope in the variable region of the antibody and the epitope on the antigen. However, the interaction between antigens and antibodies also results in unexpected combinations sometimes, known as cross-reactivity. In the field of immunology, cross-reactivity means the ability of a single antibody to recognize and bind to either the same or structurally similar epitopes found on different antigens. It is very useful to determine the therapeutic or diagnostic use of an antibody by conducting cross-reactivity studies to identify any 'unintentional' binding of the antibody.
Fig.1 The different outcomes of an individual antibody receptor meeting self vs foreign antigen.1
Enhancing the functionality of an antibody
The cross-reactivity of an antibody allows the Ab to identify similar antigen proteins in various model organisms. This property is valuable in explaining certain immunopathological phenomena, diagnosing specific infectious diseases, and triggering immune responses against challenging-to-prepare antigens.
Clinical diagnosis
There are instances where the pathogen may not be readily detectable or the detection method may lack sufficient sensitivity. It is possible to indirectly identify whether a patient is infected with a target pathogen by detecting the antibody response to an antigen that cross-reacts with the target virus.
Based on our extensive experience in antibody development, Creative Biolabs successfully established a sensitive antibody cross-reactivity testing service platform to serve as a helpful solution for drug development in disease treatment. About this service, we take advantage of several methods to detect the signal changes when the interaction is performed between antibody and antigen. During the entire process, we provide a one-stop customized antibody cross-reactivity testing service ranging from sample preparation to data qualification to support global customers' diverse projects.
In this service, we provide several methods featuring quick, sensitive, and high-content to strengthen our antibody cross-reactivity testing service:
Representative Data 1: This study investigated antibody binding with all 7 human and 49 animal coronaviruses to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection without prior knowledge about its unique antigens, suggesting a potential early detection method for future pandemics.
Fig.2 Cross-reactivity of human serum antibodies towards aCOVs.2
As a leader in the antibody research industry, Creative Biolabs is committed to developing more helpful technologies to aid in drug development in cancer therapy. Considering that, we developed the antibody cross-reactivity testing service and if you want to know more about this service, please feel free to get in touch with us. We eagerly await the receipt of your query.
References
For Research Use Only.
