New molecular imaging techniques may lead to advances in disease...(earchers. In this new researc...)

In this new research, Weber and his team explored using cell surfacebound antibody fragments as reporter genes. These engineered antibody fragments, developed by the group of Claude Meares at Davis, bind irreversibly to low-molecular-weight antigens, which act as reporter probes. Cell culture and animal studies demonstrated intense and highly specific uptake of the probes in cells expressing the antibody fragment on the cell surface. These data indicate that antibody-based reporter genes represent a promising new platform for the development of new reporter gene and probe combinations.

Antibody-based reporter genes have several potential advantages over other combinations. For example, the pharmacokinetics of the reporter probe can easily be optimized, and probes can identify antibodies with much higher specificity, thus improving the accuracy of PET imaging. In addition, the number of antibodies that can be used as reporter genes is virtually unlimited compared with available viral or mammalian reporter genes. Antibody-based reporter genes have low immunogenicity and are better suited for imaging the expression of several genes.

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