Immunological approaches for manipulation of animal growth, body composition and fecundity

Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering Reviews
D J Flint

Abstract

The ability to manipulate certain physiological processes by using the immune system, so as to regulate endocrine secretions and/or actions is clearly possible. The dramatic effects of immunocastration and the ability to increase ovulation rates in sheep are probably the best examples. Other approaches along similar lines have produced equivocal results, the effects of immunization against somatostatin being the most notable case. Although anti-idiotypic antibody approaches to producing hormone mimics have also been shown to be attainable and, indeed, possibly involved in certain auto-immune dysfunctions of the endocrine system, to date no successful applications of this approach have been demonstrated in commercial livestock. The ability to enhance hormone action using antibodies is an extremely promising area. Its prospects probably hinge on the ability to synthesize suitable short peptides which will mimic epitopes on the hormone and so permit the development of active immunization techniques to produce polyclonal antibodies of restricted and enhancing specificity. It seems less likely that administration of hormones pre-complexed to monoclonal antibodies has any potential as a practical approach to manipulating animal produ...Continue Reading

Citations

Jul 5, 2005·Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs·J Beattie, D J Flint
Nov 14, 1998·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·D J Flint
Feb 1, 1993·The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society·A J Webster

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