CDR3 length correlates with antigen binding but not functional outcomes (e.g., neutralization):
Validate using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to measure binding kinetics (K_d = 66.2–92.1 pM for HER2/neu-targeting antibodies) .
Key variables to control:
Statistical approaches:
Immunofluorescence colocalization assays: Compare staining patterns in HER2/neu⁺ (SKBR3) vs. HER2/neu⁻ (MCF7) cell lines .
Competitive binding assays: Pre-incubate antibodies with recombinant DAAs (e.g., Ag85B, LAM) to test blocking efficiency .
Epitope mapping: Use hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) to identify binding regions .
In vivo CIA mouse studies show:
Ex vivo human synovial tissue cultures: Combine antibody treatment with RNA-seq to track NFATc1 pathway modulation .