title: Comparison of protein synthesis inhibition kinetics and cell killing induced by immunotoxins.
abstract: Immunotoxins comprised of a monoclonal antibody covalently coupled to recombinant ricin A chain or to a binding-defective form of diphtheria toxin were compared with respect to their rates of protein synthesis inhibition and efficiencies of killing target cells. Protein synthesis inhibition rates were established by measuring the incorporation of L-[14C]leucine in toxin-treated cells relative to untreated cells at several times after exposure of cells to an immunotoxin. Cell killing was assessed by a limiting dilution assay which measures the number of cells surviving toxin treatment relative to untreated cells. At equivalent protein concentrations, the diphtheria toxin immunotoxin inhibited protein synthesis significantly more rapidly than the ricin A immunotoxin but, contrary to previous predictions, achieved a significantly lower cell kill. Thus, the kinetics of protein synthesis inactivation do not necessarily correlate with killing efficiencies. Possible explanations for these results are that the effect of the diphtheria toxin immunotoxin on protein synthesis is partially reversible or that the diphtheria toxin immunotoxin enters the cytosol at a faster rate than the ricin A immunotoxin but also is degraded at a faster rate.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Youle
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000633:toxicity*; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D007700:Kinetics; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D012276:Ricin / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D000922:Immunotoxins; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D012276:Ricin