Am J Cancer Res 2012;2(6):676-690
Review Article
Mechanisms of action of CD20 antibodies
Peter Boross, Jeanette H W Leusen
Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
Received Octorber 12, 2012; Accepted November 1, 2012; Epub November 20, 2012; Published November 30,
2012
Abstract: Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target the CD20 antigen on B cells are successfully used
in the clinic for the depletion of B cells to treat various forms of cancer and autoimmune diseases. The first CD20
mAb, approved by the FDA in 1998, was rituximab (RTX) and since then it has been widely used to treat more
than one million patients thus far. The success of RTX has led to a general interest in the mechanism of action of
CD20 mAbs. CD20 mAbs can induce tumor killing via various mechanisms, such as direct induction of apoptosis,
antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) or complement-dependent lysis (CDC). Although we now understand
these mechanisms better, it is still unclear which of these mechanisms is the most important for in vivo
RTX action. Not every patient respond to RTX treatment and eventually the overwhelming majority will experience a
relapse. Therefore, there is an urgent need to improve the efficacy of CD20 mAbs. This review aims to summarize
our current understanding on the mechanism of action of CD20 mAbs. (ajcr0000150).
Keywords: Antibodies, CD20, effector mechanisms, Fc receptors, complement, complement receptors, apoptosis
Address all correspondence to:
Jeanette H W Leusen
Immunotherapy Laboratory, KC 02.085.2
Department of Immunology
Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Phone: +31 88 7554268; Fax: +31 88 7554305
E-mail: jleusen@umcutrecht.nl
Review Article
Mechanisms of action of CD20 antibodies
Peter Boross, Jeanette H W Leusen
Immunotherapy Laboratory, Department of Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
Received Octorber 12, 2012; Accepted November 1, 2012; Epub November 20, 2012; Published November 30,
2012
Abstract: Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target the CD20 antigen on B cells are successfully used
in the clinic for the depletion of B cells to treat various forms of cancer and autoimmune diseases. The first CD20
mAb, approved by the FDA in 1998, was rituximab (RTX) and since then it has been widely used to treat more
than one million patients thus far. The success of RTX has led to a general interest in the mechanism of action of
CD20 mAbs. CD20 mAbs can induce tumor killing via various mechanisms, such as direct induction of apoptosis,
antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) or complement-dependent lysis (CDC). Although we now understand
these mechanisms better, it is still unclear which of these mechanisms is the most important for in vivo
RTX action. Not every patient respond to RTX treatment and eventually the overwhelming majority will experience a
relapse. Therefore, there is an urgent need to improve the efficacy of CD20 mAbs. This review aims to summarize
our current understanding on the mechanism of action of CD20 mAbs. (ajcr0000150).
Keywords: Antibodies, CD20, effector mechanisms, Fc receptors, complement, complement receptors, apoptosis
Address all correspondence to:
Jeanette H W Leusen
Immunotherapy Laboratory, KC 02.085.2
Department of Immunology
Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Phone: +31 88 7554268; Fax: +31 88 7554305
E-mail: jleusen@umcutrecht.nl
| AJCR Copyright © 2010-present, All rights reserved. Published by e-Century Publishing Corporation, Madison, WI 53711, USA |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
American Journal of Cancer Research
| ISSN: 2156-6976 |