Unconjugated antibodies work primarily through three mechanisms:
Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity (ADCC): Here, the antibodies bind to cancer cell antigens, marking them for destruction by immune cells such as natural killer (NK) cells. Complement-Dependent Cytotoxicity (CDC): Antibody binding triggers a cascade of biochemical events that result in the formation of membrane attack complexes, which puncture the cancer cell membrane, leading to cell death. Direct Apoptosis: Some antibodies can directly induce cancer cell death by blocking essential survival pathways or triggering signaling cascades that lead to apoptosis.
