title: Polyclonal amanitin-specific antibodies: production and cytoprotective properties in vitro.
abstract: The amanitins found in several mushroom species are responsible for many deaths every year. Based on its successful application to cardiac glycoside overdose, immunotherapy could be applicable to amanitin toxicity. Therefore, we produced polyclonal amanitin antibodies by immunizing rabbits with a novel conjugate of alpha-amanitin. Purified antibodies had an average association constant for alpha-amanitin of 1.3 x 10(9) M-1. A partially protective effect of the antibodies against amanitin toxicity in vitro in Chang cells was evident at a molar ratio of antibody binding sites to alpha-amanitin of 4:1. Together with reported studies in vivo, these investigations indicate the potential of immunotherapy for amanitin poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bowles
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pond
mesh_terms: D000546:Amanitins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002460:Cell Line / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D011041:Poisoning / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000546:Amanitins; D000906:Antibodies; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex