Proximity-Guided (ProxiMol) Antibody Selection

Abstract

Cell surfaces provide a rich source of potential antigen (Ag) targets for therapeutic and research reagent antibodies (Abs). However, in some circumstances, access to these targets may be difficult since it is technically challenging to purify individual Ags while retaining their native configuration. One way to circumvent the need for purification is to use whole cells or cell membranes as the basis for Ab selection. This has, in a number of cases, been successful, but necessitates the need for large-scale screening processes because the selection process will also generate many Abs that are not specific for the target of interest, but which bind to other proteins on the cell surface. Proximity (ProxiMol) selection is a method of selection that enriches the selected population for Abs that bind at or around sites on the cell surface of the target Ag and so reduce the need for labor-intensive screening processes.