title: Rational design of immunotoxins: current progress and future prospects.
abstract: Immunotoxins are hybrid protein molecules created by the chemical or genetic fusion of an antibody and a protein toxin. Advances in the molecular engineering of monoclonal antibodies and toxins now permit the generation of a variety of immunotoxin types with properties optimized for the therapy of different malignancies. Novel research promises a new generation of protein therapeutics in which the properties of intravascular transport, selective cell binding, internalization, translocation to the cytosol, subcellular localization and selective catalytic action can be manipulated to order. Immunotoxins that combine selective tumour binding with a tumour-specific mechanism of action, such as enzymatic inactivation of cellular products responsible for maintaining the malignant state, could have a potent and selective anti-tumour action.
authors.affiliation: Drug Targeting Laboratory, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Wawrzynczak
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000639:trends; D015195:Drug Design; D005544:Forecasting; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012106:Research
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000922:Immunotoxins