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Ragon Institute Identifies Antibody Features That Restrain Tuberculosis Bacteria

These antibodies reshape immune cell function by directing neutrophils to tuberculosis sites, offering a blueprint for next-generation vaccines.

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Overview

  • Researchers compiled the largest known library of monoclonal antibodies against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and presented their findings in the journal Immunity.
  • The team demonstrated that Fc-engineered antibodies redirect infected bacteria to neutrophils, markedly reducing Mtb growth in murine models.
  • The study overturns the view that antibodies act solely through neutralization by revealing their capacity to reprogram innate immune cell recruitment and activation within tissues.
  • Identified antibody characteristics could serve as biomarkers for gauging immune responses in TB patients and inform the design of more effective vaccines than BCG.
  • The insights pave the way for antibody-based therapies targeting antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections beyond tuberculosis.