Production of polyclonal antibodies in mice against cobratoxin, botulinum toxin and ricin without altering their toxicity or use of adjuvant.
Purified venom components, botulinum toxin and ricin have been successfully used as immunogenes, after converting to toxoids and using adjuvant for production of polyclonal antibodies in animals. This communication reports that polyclonal antibodies specific to cobratoxin, botulinum toxin and ricin were generated in Balb/C mice. The toxins were used for immunization without adjuvant and without altering their toxicity or converting them to toxoids. Initially, lethal dose for botulinum toxin, cobratoxin and ricin were determined in mice and found to be 1 microg, 4 microg and 2 microg, respectively. For the production of antibodies mice were injected with half lethal dose of the toxins in natural form four times, two weeks apart. The potency of antitoxins was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. High titer antibodies were generated by botulinum toxin, cobratoxin and ricin after three injections consisting of half mouse lethal dose. Such minute amounts of botulinum toxin, cobratoxin and ricin in their natural form were able to produce high titer antibodies, perhaps because these toxins may fall in the category of super-antigens.
Lipps
B V
BV
Ophidia Products, Inc, Houston, Texas 77035, USA. bvl@ophidia.com
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000633:toxicity; D003039:Cobra Neurotoxin Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012276:Ricin / Q000276:immunology* / Q000633:toxicity; D018089:Superantigens; D018675:Toxicity Tests
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D003039:Cobra Neurotoxin Proteins; D018089:Superantigens; D012276:Ricin; D001905:Botulinum Toxins