Immunotherapeutic Approaches for Neurological Diseases: Natural Monoclonal Antibodies and Conventional Monoclonal Antibodies - Paperback

by Bharath Wootla (Author), Moses Rodriguez (Author), Jens O. Watzlawik (Author)

Immunoglobulins with germline sequences occur in invertebrates and vertebrates and are named 'natural antibodies' (NAbs). They may target foreign antigens, self- or altered self-components and are part of the normal immunoglobulin repertoire. NAbs can act as systemic surveillance molecules, which tag damaged or stressed cells, invading pathogens and toxic protein aggregates for elimination by the immune system. Certain NAbs actively signal in different cell types with a broad range of responses from induction of apoptosis in cancer cells, stimulation of remyelination in glial cells and blocking disease propagation in neurodegenerative disorders. This lecture note emphasizes the different functions and characteristics of NAbs and their use as potential therapeutics in multiple sclerosis (MS) as an example for neuroinflammatory diseases. Within neurodegenerative diseases we will focus on Alzheimer's disease as the best investigated disease for immunotherapeutic approaches. We will highlight the role of the blood brain barrier (BBB) as the major obstacle for antibody based therapies of CNS diseases and stress on some novel approaches to lower the hurdle.

Author Biography

Jens Watzlawik is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology with a specialization in neuroinflammatory diseases at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He is interested in immunotherapies for multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases. More specifically, his work examines remyelination promoting antibodies in different disease models and their underlying mechanism of action including cellular antigens capable of stimulating CNS regeneration.