[Monoclonal hybrid antibodies. New perspectives for basic research and tumor therapy]

Monoclonal hybrid antibodies are bi-specific constructs of two monoclonal antibodies with defined specificity. Hybrid antibodies can be used to force interactions between cell populations that under normal circumstances would not react with one another. Applications include the field of basic research as well as employment in therapy of malignancies and infectious diseases. The first part of this review describes the characteristic properties of hybrid antibodies and gives a short introduction into basic techniques for the production of these molecules. In the second part we present our observations on T-lymphocyte development studied with hybrid antibodies in fetal thymic organ cultures. Finally, we show that hybrid antibodies encompassing a binding site to the T-cell receptor and a binding site to a surface marker on tumor cells can be used to recruit cytotoxic T-cells to eliminate efficiently the malignant cells. Our data demonstrate that monoclonal hybrid antibodies are useful in the future development of new therapeutical principles, through facilitation of the immune response.