title: Detection of residual pertussis toxin in vaccines using a modified ribosylation assay.
abstract: Pertussis toxin (PTx) in its detoxified form is an important component of both whole cell and acellular pertussis vaccines (ACVs). For safety reasons, it is imperative to ensure that the quantity of residual PTx in vaccines does not exceed permissible levels. The majority of the toxic effects of PTx have been attributed to the consequences of PTx-catalyzed ribosylation of the alpha-subunits of signal-transducing guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins. In this report PTx ribosylation activity was determined by an improved enzymatic-high performance liquid chromatography coupled assay using a fluorescein labeled Galpha(i3)C20 peptide. The effect of aluminum salts and other vaccine components on the assay system were also studied. The enzymatic assay system was shown to be a convenient, sensitive method and correlate well with the toxicity observed in vivo by the histamine sensitization assay. This method forms the basis of a new assay which could replace the unsatisfactory animal test currently used in pertussis vaccines control.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Structure, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK. cyuen@nibsc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Chun-Ting
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Catpagavalli
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Canthaboo
authors.forename: J Alan
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Menzies
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cyr
authors.forename: Larry W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Whitehouse
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Corbel
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xing
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D016466:CHO Cells; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006224:Cricetinae; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins; D037342:Pertussis Toxin / Q000032:analysis*; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D022282:Vaccines, Acellular / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D010567:Pertussis Vaccine; D022282:Vaccines, Acellular; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins