title: [Construction and prokaryotic expression of a recombinant immunotoxin fused with mouse interleukin 18 and truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To construct a new recombinant immunotoxin expression vector by fusion of mouse interleukin 18 (mIL-18) gene and a truncated form of A (PE38) gene, and examine the expression of IL-18-PE38 fusion protein in Escherichia coli.
  
  
  METHODS
  mIL-18 cDNA was cloned from mouse liver tissue through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The mIL-18 cDNA was subcloned into a PE38 gene inserted fusion protein expression plasmid. The recombinant vector was identified by restriction endonucleases digestion, PCR and DNA sequencing. After transformed into E. coli BL21 and induced by IPTG, the expressed product was obtained and detected the molecular weight and specificity by SDS-PAGE and Western-blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The new recombinant immunotoxin expression vector was constructed successfully. The IL-18-PE38 fusion protein was expressed in E. coli BL21, and the molecular weight of the expression product was identical to the expected value. In addition, the protein expressed could react with the specific antibody against mIL-18.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-18-PE38 recombinant immunotoxin expression vector will provide the basis for study on the targeted cytotoxic activity to Th1 cell and may have some potential value in the treatment of autoimmune disease and T cell leukemias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ming-yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhong-hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Mei-li
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051379:Mice; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D000922:Immunotoxins; D020382:Interleukin-18; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C111749:pseudomonas exoprotein A protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa