The role of multivalency in antibody mediated liposome targeting

Author

Kelly S. Houck

Date of Award

3-1987

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology

Major Professor

Leaf Huang

Committee Members

Kenneth Monty, Jorge Churchich

Abstract

We have investigated the role of multivalency in immunoliposome binding to cells displaying different amounts of surface antigen using k liposomes with increasing numbers of palmitoyl anti-H2K^k antibodies incorporated into the bilayer. The application of increasing numbers of palmitoyl antibody causes a regular increase in immunoliposome binding to mouse L-929 cells, beyond an apparent threshold of 12 Ab/liposome. RDM-4 lymphoma cells were treated with proteinase k to generate a series of cells with various amounts of H2K^k antigen. Binding percent of immunoliposomes was related to the number of antigens displayed by RDM-4 cell. Again, increasing liposome binding was observed with increasing number of antibody molecules per liposome. However, the ratio of binding of the high-antigen-density cells to that of the low-antigen-density cells was higher with immunoliposomes of lower antibody density than the ones with higher antibody density. This result suggests that for a better discrimination between cells differing in antigen density, liposomes with lower, but above threshold, number of antibody molecules per liposome may be more useful than those with a larger number of antibody molecules.

Recommended Citation

Houck, Kelly S., "The role of multivalency in antibody mediated liposome targeting. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1987.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/13484