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Researchers have created synthetic molecules that behave like natural antibodies. The result is a highly targeted immune response.

A recent study examined how the molecules, known as synthetic antibody mimics (SyAMs), could attack prostate cancer.

They work first by recognizing cancer cells and binding with a specific protein on their surface. Next, they also bind with a receptor on an immune cell. This induces a targeted response that leads to the destruction of the cancer cell.

The SyAMs are about one-twentieth the size of real antibodies, says David A. Spiegel, a professor of chemistry at Yale University whose lab developed the molecules.

“They are unlikely to cause unwanted immune reactions due to their structure, are thermally stable, and have the potential to be administered orally, just like traditional, small-molecule drugs,” he adds.

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Spiegel and his team describe the research in a paper published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

The process of synthesizing and optimizing the structure of the molecules required considerable time and effort, Spiegel notes.

“We now know that synthetic molecules of intermediate size possess perhaps the most important functional properties of antibodies—targeting and stimulation of immune cells,” he says.

“It’s also noteworthy that molecules of such a small size can bring together two objects as enormous as cells, and trigger a specific functional response, entirely as a result of specific receptor interactions,” Spiegel adds.

Beyond their potential for treating prostate cancer, SyAMs may have applications for treating other forms of cancer, HIV, and various bacterial diseases.

Source: Yale University