Context:
Centre decided to procure doses of monoclonal antibody (used in Australia for the Hendra virus) to combat the Nipah virus.
Hendra virus (HeV) infection is a rare emerging zoonosis that causes fatal disease in both infected horses and humans. The natural host of the virus has been identified as being fruit bats.
About Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs):
- They are artificial antibodies that mimic the activity of our immune systems.
- They are produced through a process that involves extracting specific antibodies from human blood and then cloning them.
- They are clones of just one antibody, and they bind to one antigen only. (monovalent affinity)
- They are made by homogeneous hybrid cells (B cells) derived from the same parent cell.
- They can effectively bind with a part of the viral envelope that attaches to the human cells to gain entry into the body which effectively neutralises the virus.
- They have been used in the treatment of cancers, Ebola, HIV etc.
- Impacts – Side effects such as cytokine release syndrome reactions, allergic/atopic disorders, impaired immune function etc.
Antibodies (also called as immunoglobulin) are protective proteins produced by the immune system in response to the presence of a foreign substance, called an antigen. A wide range of substances are regarded by the body as antigens, including disease-causing organisms and toxic materials.
T and B Cells:
- 2 types of Immune system cells – Innate and Acquired.
- Innate immune cells – Body’s 1st line of defense that quickly respond to fight infection.
- Acquired immunity (adaptive immunity) — uses T-cells and B-cells when invading organisms slip through first line of defence.
- T-cells and B-cells evolve from learned experiences so take longer to develop. They tend to live longer than innate cells.
- B-cells and T-cells are also called lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell that is part of the immune system).
- B cells produce antibodies that are used to attack invading bacteria, viruses, and toxins. These antibodies are Y-shaped proteins that are specific to each pathogen.
- T cells are direct fighters of foreign invaders and also produced cytokines, which are biological substances that help activate other parts of the immune system. T cells destroy body’s own cells that have been taken over by viruses or become cancerous.
Polyclonal antibodies (PAbs), on the other hand, are a mixture of antibodies that are secreted by different B cell lineages.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Which one of the following statements best describes the role of B cells and T cells in the human body?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) They protect the body from environmental allergens.
(b) They alleviate the body’s pain and inflammation.
(c) They act as immune-suppressants in the body.
(d) They protect the body from the diseases caused by pathogens.
Answer: (d)
