Edible antibodies to treat gastrointestinal disorders

interesting indeed. I had not really stopped to think of biologics as therapeutic antibodies. Now I know why so many of the scientific names end in "mAb"

I am still not clear why introducing extra antibodies is linked to the immunosuppression of biologics. Seem like it would be linked to immune over-response because of having even more antibodies.

For an easier to understand analogy: Picture an antibody to be like those child-safe, plastic outlet protectors. Taking a biologic floods the body with those childsafe protectors, one for every outlet within reach of the child within your house. While those covers are in place, it prevents kid from sticking something like a penny or fork into an electrical outlet.

Antibodies are designed to block a specific immune function, from initial signaling (hey send an attack over here; tnf-alpha blockers like remicade/humira), to response (entyvio blocks WBCs within the circulatory system, so they cannot attack intestinal tissue).

For signalling, a barrage of tnf-alpha protein particles are sent out by the immune system, and when that signal is received at the other end the attack is mounted. Remicade/humira intercepts that messenger, docks with, and makes the tnf-alpha particle useless. Assuming there's sufficient remicade/humira to block or mute all of the signalling, the immune attack isn't called for, and the response gets weaker and weaker and stops. You feel better and heal. Run out of remicade/humira between treatments and the attack resumes. Much as remicade/humira is an antibody, your immune system can develop antibodies against remicade/humira with the same affect (making remicade/humira ineffective and resuming the battle cry for more inflammation).

But yes, pouring lots of antibodies into one's body can cause an immune response. As that's what happens when initially exposed to a cold virus (another tiny antibody protein that floods into your body). Generally initial exposure and weaning exposure are the two times the immune system actively tries to attack and create antibodies.