title: Immunotoxins and recombinant toxins in the treatment of solid carcinomas.
abstract: Cancer remains the second most common cause of death in our society, and advanced disease is often refractory to surgical, chemotherapeutic, and radiologic interventions. One novel approach to cancer treatment involves targeting a cytotoxic agent to a cancer cell. Immunotoxins have been developed that contain a potent toxin (either Pseudomonas exotoxin, ricin toxin, or diphtheria toxin) coupled to a targeting moiety that directs the molecule to cells expressing a certain antigen. Chemically coupled immunotoxins have been developed over the past 12 years. These bind to and kill cells expressing many tumor-associated antigens. Initial clinical results were disappointing, but recent results have been more promising. Furthermore, newer immunotoxins have been developed that will soon be in clinical trials. Some of these are recombinant toxins that have been developed using techniques of genetic engineering. Transforming growth factor-alpha, acidic fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1, interleukin-2, interleukin-4, interleukin-6, the binding portions of monoclonal antibodies, and CD4 have been used to direct toxins to cancer cells or cells infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Efforts are under way to circumvent problems such as immunogenicity that may limit the clinical usefulness of immunotoxins.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Theuer
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pastan
mesh_terms: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A
chemical_list: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D000922:Immunotoxins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A