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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Immunization of Alpacas (Lama pacos) with Protein Antigens and Production of Antigen-specific Single Domain Antibodies
Published on: January 26, 2019
Covalent dimerization of camelidae anti-human TNF-alpha single domain antibodies by the constant kappa light chain
Martin Giersberg1, Doreen M Floss, Sergey Kipriyanov
1Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Phytoantibodies, D-06466 Gatersleben, Germany.
Abstract:
The tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) plays an important role in a number of chronic inflammatory disorders. Monoclonal camelidae variable heavy chain domain-only antibodies (V(H)H) have been developed to antagonize the action of human TNFalpha (anti-TNF-V(H)H). Here we describe a strategy to obtain functional dimeric anti-TNF-V(H)H molecules, based on the C-terminal fusion of a kappa light chain domain to the anti-TNF-V(H)H. The resulting fusion protein was transiently expressed by use of viral vectors in Nicotiana benthamiana((Nb)) leaves and purified. Competitive ELISA and cell cytotoxicity assays revealed that the dimerized anti-(Nb)TNF-V(H)H(Ckappa) proteins blocked TNFalpha-activity more effectively than either the monomeric Escherichia coli((Ec)) produced anti-(Ec)TNF-V(H)H or the monomeric anti-(Nb)TNF-V(H)H(Ckappa). We suggest that enhanced inhibition shown by dimeric anti-(Nb)TNF-V(H)H(Ckappa) proteins is achieved by an increase in avidity.
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