Production of a Human Recombinant Antibody against Serotype a Candida Albicans

After using 3 different generations of antibody including human and non-human hyperimmune sera, monoclonal antibodies and Chimeric antibodies, more recently a newer approach has been developed in which the antibody genes are cloned directly from a patient peripheral Blymphocytes and expressed in a host like E. coli. In this study the Candida albicans serotype A (NCTC 3135) mannan was purified using a modified Fehling method and used for selection of human recombinant antibody (hrAb) from a C. albicans phage antibody library. After four rounds of affinity selecting (panning), 2 predominant clones were chosen by DNA fingerprinting and ELISA. A 248 amino acid DNA fragment coding for anti-C. albicans mannan scFv was sequenced and cloned in a PBAD TOPO cloning vector to produce a soluble and phage free antibody. The analysis of antibody sequences by V Base Index (DNAPLOT) confirmed the human antibody origin with the VH4 family in V segment of heavy variable chain and VL3 (Lambda 3) in J segment of the light variable chain. This antibody fragment was purified using Immobilised Metal Affinity Chromatography (IMAC) and inmmunoblotted as a 31kDa recombinant protein. Acta Medica Iranica, 43(4): 273-278; 2005