[Recent Advance in Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in B-Cell Lymphoma]

Substantial advances in antigen-targeted lymphoma therapy have been achieved in recent years. Monoclonal antibodies targeting B-cell differential antigen CD20 have emerged as promising new treatments. CD20 is a 35 kD non-glycosylated transmembrane phosphoprotein. It is expressed on most mature B-lymphocytes and disappears from the surface of B lineage cells during terminal differentiation into plasma cells. The antigen appears to be involved in the regulation of B-cell development and differentiation and may mediate some of its effects by functioning as a calcium channel. Most importantly, CD20 is expressed on more than 95% of B-cell lymphomas and is not significantly internalized or shed. These features make it an ideal target for monoclonal antibody therapy for B-cell lymphomas. The results of clinical trials have showed that anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, which can be utilized in either unmodified form or as carrier for radioisotopes or cytotoxic agents, have significant effects and can be administrated safely with minimum side effects. Many studies have proposed several potential mechanisms to mediate the eradication of tumor cells targeted by anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. Ongoing prospective studies will establish some new therapeutic strategies with high anti-lymphoma specificity and low unspecific toxicity.