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?
Show answer
Answer: D. Statement I is correct: monoclonal antibodies are lab-made proteins that copy natural antibodies. Statement II is correct: they bind to a specific antigen and help the immune system act against it. Statement III is correct: monoclonal antibodies are used against viral infections; for Nipah, the antibody m102.4 has been given on compassionate grounds abroad, and ICMR procured it from Australia during the Kerala outbreaks (2018, 2023). Others are used for COVID-19 and RSV. So all three are correct.
Watch for: Students may think antibodies are used only for cancer or autoimmune disease and miss their use in viral infections like Nipah.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong: Statement III is also correct.
- B. Wrong: Statement I is also correct.
- C. Wrong: Statement II is also correct.
Source to check: WHO Nipah virus fact sheet; news reports of September 2023 on ICMR procuring m102.4 doses from Australia
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.