Generation Of A Phage Display Library Of The Immunoglobulin Repertoire From Human AFP-Immunized Mouse And Identification Of Anti-AFP Antibody Fragments And V-region Genes

α -Fetoprotein (AFP) is a characteristic tumor marker for hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) . It is produced by embryonic, as well as neoplatic liver cells and shows relatively strong binding affinities to polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFA), implying that it may play a role in transporting PUFA into these cells. It can also act in the regulation of immune system by suppressing T lymphocyte proliferation. These specific biological functions appear to contribute the growth and maintenance of HCC. Although AFP is a secretory protein, it may halt at the cell surface before release and can be readily recognized by anti-AFP monoclonal antibodies used in immunoscintigraphy and immunotherapy. However, the clinical use of heterologous murine immunoglobulins is obviously limited by their immunogenicity. In recent...