title: Pseudomonas exotoxin and recombinant immunotoxins derived from it.
abstract: Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE) is a bacterial toxin that kills mammalian cells by gaining entry to the cytosol and inactivating protein synthesis. The toxin binds and enters cells via the alpha 2-macroglobulin receptors. Within cells, the toxin is processed in several steps to produce an enzymatically active 37-kDa C-terminal fragment which translocates to the cytosol and ADP-ribosylates elongation factor 2. Because PE is a very potent toxin, derivatives of it have been produced which, when joined to various binding ligands, are capable of killing specific target cells. It is hoped that this strategy will lead to the development of effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of human diseases such as cancer, AIDS, and various immunologic disorders.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pastan
mesh_terms: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A
chemical_list: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D000922:Immunotoxins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A