[Measurement of botulinum toxin activity: towards a new cellular culture assay?].
The actual gold standard of Botulin A toxin (BoTx A) batches qualification is the mouse lethality assay. With this assay it is nevertheless impossible to set a therapeutic value unit.


OBJECTIVE
The goal of this research was to study the effects of BoTx A increasing concentrations on glutamatergic rat neurons.


METHODS
We studied the glutamate release with increasing concentrations of BoTx A. We also studied the BoTx A target cleavage with a western blot technique.


RESULTS
Our results proved that it is possible to establish a dose-response - like curve of BoTx A effects on glutamate release. Moreover the cleavage of the target protein was visible for the same toxin concentrations that inhibited the glutamate release.


CONCLUSIONS
This technique could be the first step toward a new way of setting a better pharmaceutical profile for toxin batches.
Khairallah
Gregoire
G
Service de chirurgie maxillofaciale, hôpital Central, CHU de Nancy, 29, avenue du Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny, 54000 Nancy, France. Gregoire@Khairallah.com
Andreoletti
Jean-Baptiste
JB
Jover
Emmanuel
E
Simon
Etienne
E
D000818:Animals; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A