Masked antibodies may open intracellular treatment route for Parkinson's disease
Over the past few decades, antibody-based therapies have revolutionized modern medicine and are now widely used to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory disorders and even infectious diseases. Despite their success, however, antibodies have a significant limitation: They struggle to penetrate cells and are therefore largely limited to targeting molecules located on the cell surface or…
A groundbreaking research breakthrough at Tel Aviv University and Cornell University could revolutionize the treatment of diseases once thought inaccessible to antibody-based therapies. The innovative approach uses a synthetic molecule called SL4 to mask antibodies, temporarily altering their chemical properties. This enables the antibodies to be encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles, which can then deliver them to the cell cytoplasm - a feat previously difficult for antibodies.
The researchers, including Prof. Chris Alabi and Prof. Matthew DeLisa from Cornell, collaborated with Prof. Avi Schroder from the Technion and several other experts. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrates that this masked antibody technology significantly improves the efficiency of encapsulation within lipid nanoparticles.
In preclinical models, the delivered antibodies successfully reduced intracellular signaling, blocked pathological protein aggregates, and decreased inflammatory markers, indicating potential for treating diseases like cancer, inflammatory disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's disease. While the technology is still in preclinical stages, the researchers believe it could pave the way for a new generation of biologic therapies, marking a significant step towards personalized medicine.
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