Q. With reference to monoclonal antibodies, often mentioned in news, consider the following statements :
I. They are man-made proteins.
II. They stimulate immunological function due to their ability to bind to specific antigens.
III. They are used in treating viral infections like that of Nipah virus.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) I and II only
(b) II and III only
(c) I and III only
(d) I, II and III
Correct answer is (d) I, II and III
UPSC Prelims 2025 GS Paper's Solution
Explanation :
The correct answer is (d) – all three statements are true.
Monoclonal antibodies are indeed “man-made” (i.e. laboratory-produced) proteins: ‑ Starting from a single immune B-cell clone, they are engineered (often in mice, humanized or fully human cell-lines) to yield a homogeneous population of identical antibody molecules.
Their key feature is high specificity: ‑ Each monoclonal antibody binds a single, unique epitope on its target antigen. ‑ By occupying that epitope, they can block receptor–ligand interactions or flag the antigen for destruction by other immune cells, thereby modulating immune function.
They are used (and are in development) against several viral infections, including Nipah: ‑ Examples already in clinical use include palivizumab for RSV, REGN-EB3 (Inmazeb) for Ebola, various mAbs for COVID-19. ‑ For Nipah virus, the mAb known as m102.4 has been given on a compassionate-use basis in outbreaks and is in clinical trials.
