Anti-Human CD20 (Rituximab) APC (IVMB0524)

CD20 is a 33-37 kD transmembrane-spanning phosphoprotein found on the surface of developing B-cells and various B-cell malignancies. CD20 is a popular target for mAb therapy because depleting developing B-cells generally does not cause permanent side effects (due to the fact that mature plasma cells and B-cell progenitors do not express CD20 and that there is limited expression of CD20 among other cell lineages). Rituximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that binds to CD20. The precise function of CD20 is still unknown. However, it is suspected to play a role in Ca2+ influx across plasma membranes, maintaining intracellular Ca2+ concentration, and allowing the activation of B cells. Rituximab is used to treat some autoimmune diseases and types of cancer such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and rheumatoid arthritis among others. The Fc portion of Rituximab mediates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Rituximab increases MHC II and adhesion molecules LFA-1 and LFA-3 (lymphocyte function-associated antigen) and also induces apoptosis of CD20+ cells. This ultimately results in the elimination of B cells (including the cancerous ones) from the body, and thus allows a new population of healthy B cells to develop from lymphoid stem cells. Anti-Human CD20 (Rituximab) utilizes the same variable regions from the therapeutic antibody Rituximab making it ideal for research projects.