Overview

• Researchers compiled the largest known library of monoclonal antibodies against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and presented their findings in the journal Immunity.
• The team demonstrated that Fc-engineered antibodies redirect infected bacteria to neutrophils, markedly reducing Mtb growth in murine models.
• The study overturns the view that antibodies act solely through neutralization by revealing their capacity to reprogram innate immune cell recruitment and activation within tissues.
• Identified antibody characteristics could serve as biomarkers for gauging immune responses in TB patients and inform the design of more effective vaccines than BCG.
• The insights pave the way for antibody-based therapies targeting antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections beyond tuberculosis.