Humanization of chimeric anti-CD20 antibody by logical and bioinformatics approach with retention of biological activity

AIM: To develop a fully bioactive humanized antibody from the chimeric rituximab for potential clinical applications using a relatively simpler and faster logical and bioinformatics approach.

METHODS: From bioinformatics data, mismatched mouse amino acids in variable light and heavy chain amphipathic regions were identified and substituted with those common to human antibody framework. Appropriate synthetic DNA sequences inserted into vectors were transfected into HEK293 cells to produce the humanized antibody.

RESULTS: Humanized antibodies showed specific binding to CD20 and greater cytotoxicity to cancer WIL2-NS cell proliferation than rituximab in vitro.

CONCLUSION: A humanized version of rituximab with potential to be developed into a biobetter for treatment of B-cell disorders has been successfully generated using a logical and bioinformatics approach.