Download or read book Toxin and Immunotoxin Based Therapeutic Approaches written by Massimo Bortolotti and published by . This book was released on 2022-01-29 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1900, Paul Ehrlich, who was studying ricin and abrin at the time, discovered antibodies and paved the way for immunotherapy. After 120 years, Ehrlich's insight into the therapeutic potential of immunotargeting is still a source of inspiration for many scientists. One of the most studied antibody-based targeting strategies is the carrying of powerful toxins. The generated molecules are immunotoxins, i.e., chimeric proteins obtained by coupling bacterial or plant toxins and antibodies through chemical linking or genetic engineering. Immunotoxins are functionally designed to eliminate the cells responsible for pathological conditions, and they find applications in several fields, ranging from cancer to immunological diseases or pain control. Despite the lack of specificity, even native toxins find clinical application, but the use of unconjugated toxins is limited to loco-regional treatments. A fundamental requirement for the medical application of toxins and their immunoconjugates is in-depth knowledge of their interaction with target cells in terms of binding, uptake, intracellular routing, and substrate specificity. This Special Issue focuses on toxins and immunotoxins that have clinical potential. We hope to give the reader a comprehensive overview of new toxin delivery strategies and toxin-based experimental disease models, both in vitro and in vivo.

Download or read book Clinical Applications of Immunotoxins written by Arthur E. Frankel and published by Springer. This book was released on 2011-12-22 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 1 2 D. FITZGERALDI, I. PASTAN , and J. ROBERTUS Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 2 Toxin Structure-Function Properties 2 2. 1 Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2. 2 Binding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 Intracellular Processing - Cleavage and Reduction . . . . . . 4 3. 1 Cytosolic Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4 Immunotoxin Design and Testing. 6 5 Conclusion. . 8 References. . . . . 8 1 Introduction While various treatment approaches for cancer include reversal of the transformed phenotype, stimulation of immune responses, inhibition of metastatic spread and deprivation of key nutrients, the goal of immunotoxin treatment is the direct killing of malignant cells. Because they are enzymatic proteins that act catalytically to kill cells, bacterial and plant toxins are often employed as the cell-killing component of immunotoxins. Here we provide background information into the structure-func tion relationships of toxins and discuss how they can be combined with cell-binding antibodies or other ligands to generate immunotoxins. Bacterial and plant toxins (e. g. , diphtheria toxin, Pseudomonas exotoxin and ricin) are among the most toxic substances known. However, because they bind to cell surface receptors that are present on most normal cells, unmodified toxins are generally useless as anti-cancer agents. To convert toxins into more selective agents, their binding domains are either eliminated or disabled and replaceq with cell binding antibodies that are tumor-selective.

Download or read book Translational Immunotherapy of Brain Tumors written by John H. Sampson and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-02-06 with total page 406 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Translational Immunotherapy of Brain Tumors gives researchers and practitioners an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the field. Chapters include adoptive immunotherapy, immunosuppression, CAR therapy of brain tumors, and dendritic cell therapy for brain tumors. Very few agents have been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of malignant gliomas. Recently, there have been a number of studies demonstrating the potential success of immunotherapy for brain tumors. Immunotherapeutics are becoming the most frequent drugs to be used in cancer therapy. These new breakthroughs, now approved by the FDA, are a part of multiple phase III international trials and ongoing research in malignant glioma, meaning that the information in this cutting-edge book will be of great importance to practitioners and researchers alike. Comprehensive overview, providing an update on immunology, translational immunotherapy, and clinical trials relating to malignant gliomas Edited by a prominent neurosurgeon with contributions by leading researchers in the field Ideal resource for researchers and practitioners interested in learning about mechanisms that use the immune system to treat brain tumors

Download or read book Corynebacterium Diphtheriae and Related Toxigenic Species written by Andreas Burkovski and published by . This book was released on 2013-11-30 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Toxins and Cancer Therapy written by Adam E. Snook and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2021-03-02 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cancer has been a patient-specific and difficult-to-treat disease for decades, resulting in more deaths since 1900 than all other diseases except cardiovascular diseases. As societies around the world continue to shift towards an aging population, the social and economic burden created by cancer will only rise in the coming decades, necessitating continued improvement in our cancer therapies. Remarkably, in the late 1800s, bone surgeon William Coley serendipitously discovered that bacteria could be administered to patients as an effective (and sometimes toxic) form of cancer therapy known as "Coley's Toxins". His discoveries unknowingly led to two fields of cancer therapy that have been in development for decades and are now leading to significant improvements in therapy for cancer patients: immune-based and toxin-based therapies for cancer. Articles included here discuss the discoveries that emerged from Coley's Toxins that enable us to harness the immune system and microbial toxins to combat cancers, as oncology shifts from a field dominated by chemotherapy for most of the 20th century to biologic therapies that will dominate the 21st century.

Download or read book The Molecular Basis of Cancer written by John Mendelsohn and published by Elsevier Health Sciences. This book was released on 2008-04-01 with total page 1948 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Successfully fighting cancer starts with understanding how it begins. This thoroughly revised 3rd Edition explores the scientific basis for our current understanding of malignant transformation and the pathogenesis and treatment of cancer. A team of leading experts thoroughly explain the molecular biologic principles that underlie the diagnostic tests and therapeutic interventions now being used in clinical trials and practice. Incorporating cutting-edge advances and the newest research, the book provides thorough descriptions of everything from molecular abnormalities in common cancers to new approaches for cancer therapy. Features sweeping updates throughout, including molecular targets for the development of anti-cancer drugs, gene therapy, and vaccines...keeping you on the cutting edge of your specialty. Offers a new, more user-friendly full-color format so the information that you need is easier to find. Presents abundant figures-all redrawn in full color-illustrating major concepts for easier comprehension. Features numerous descriptions of the latest clinical strategies-helping you to understand and take advantage of today’s state-of-the-art biotechnology advances.

Download or read book Protein Therapeutics 2 Volume Set written by Tristan Vaughan and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-12-04 with total page 762 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Branchenführende Big-Pharma-Unternehmen und erstklassige Forscher präsentieren grundlegende Konzepte und Herausforderungen bei proteinbasierten Pharmazeutika. Beinhaltet auch eine Einführung in die aus Sicht der Arzneimittelentwicklung fünf wesentlichen Anwendungsbereiche.

Download or read book Adverse Effects of Cancer Chemotherapy Anything New to Improve Tolerance and Reduce Sequelae written by Kulmira Nurgali and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2018-06-12 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Advances in anti-cancer chemotherapy over recent years have led to improved efficacy in curing or controlling many cancers. Some chemotherapy-related side-effects are well recognized and include: nausea, vomiting, bone marrow suppression, peripheral neuropathy, cardiac and skeletal muscle dysfunction and renal impairment. However, it is becoming clearer that some chemotherapy-related adverse effects may persist even in long term cancer survivors. Problems such as cognitive, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal dysfunction, and neuropathy may lead to substantial long term morbidity. Despite improvements in treatments to counteract acute chemotherapy-induced adverse effects, they are often incompletely effective. Furthermore, counter-measures for some acute side-effects and many potential longer term sequelae of anti-cancer chemotherapy have not been developed. Thus, new insights into prevalence and mechanisms of cancer chemotherapy-related side effects are needed and new approaches to improving tolerance and reduce sequelae of cancer chemotherapy are urgently needed. The present Research Topic focuses on adverse effects and sequelae of chemotherapy and strategies to counteract them.

Download or read book Plant Toxins written by P. Gopalakrishnakone and published by . This book was released on with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Immunoglobulins written by Roald Nezlin and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 1998-05-06 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides comprehensive up-to-date information on the structure and function of immunoglobulins. It describes the basic features of these molecules, which assists the reader in understanding how they function as an integral part of the immune system. The Immunoglobulins describes the localization and structure of different binding sites of immunoglobulin molecules, including the antigen-binding site, on the basis of latest x-ray crystallography studies. It discusses recently developed biotechnological methods that allow scientists to obtain fully active antibody molecules in vitro even without immunization and to construct new variants of immunoglobulins and their fragments by fusing with various other active molecules. A survey of recent knowledge on immunoglobulin-binding molecules other than antigens and on flexibility of immunoglobulin molecules concludes the discussion of functional aspects of the problem. Describes recent reviews on the structure and function of immunoglobulin molecules of various species Summarizes in detail recent findings on the fine structure of the antigen-combining site Presents comparative data on the antigen-recognizing sites of other molecules such as MHC proteins and T-cell receptors Summarizes growing data on immunoglobulin binding sites responsible for the reaction of immunoglobulins with molecules other than antigens Explores the rapid advance of recent biotechnological methods used for the construction of antibody molecules and their fragments with new properties Presents extensive references and is lavishly illustrated

Download or read book Anticancer Drug Development written by Bruce C. Baguley and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2001-11-17 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here in a single source is a complete spectrum of ideas on the development of new anticancer drugs. Containing concise reviews of multidisciplinary fields of research, this book offers a wealth of ideas on current and future molecular targets for drug design, including signal transduction, the cell division cycle, and programmed cell death. Detailed descriptions of sources for new drugs and methods for testing and clinical trial design are also provided. One work that can be consulted for all aspects of anticancer drug development Concise reviews of research fields, combined with practical scientific detail, written by internationally respected experts A wealth of ideas on current and future molecular targets for drug design, including signal transduction, the cell division cycle, and programmed cell death Detailed descriptions of the sources of new anticancer drugs, including combinatorial chemistry, phage display, and natural products Discussion of how new drugs can be tested in preclinical systems, including the latest technology of robotic assay systems, cell culture, and experimental animal techniques Hundreds of references that allow the reader to access relevant scientific and medical literature Clear illustrations, some in color, that provide both understanding of the field and material for teaching

Download or read book Bugs as Drugs written by Robert A. Britton and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-07-02 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examining the enormous potential of microbiome manipulation to improve health Associations between the composition of the intestinal microbiome and many human diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and cancer, have been elegantly described in the past decade. Now, whole-genome sequencing, bioinformatics, and precision gene-editing techniques are being combined with centuries-old therapies, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, to translate current research into new diagnostics and therapeutics to treat complex diseases. Bugs as Drugs provides a much-needed overview of microbes in therapies and will serve as an excellent resource for scientists and clinicians as they carry out research and clinical studies on investigating the roles the microbiota plays in health and disease. In Bugs as Drugs, editors Robert A. Britton and Patrice D. Cani have assembled a fascinating collection of reviews that chart the history, current efforts, and future prospects of using microorganisms to fight disease and improve health. Sections cover traditional uses of probiotics, next-generation microbial therapeutics, controlling infectious diseases, and indirect strategies for manipulating the host microbiome. Topics presented include: How well-established probiotics support and improve host health by improving the composition of the intestinal microbiota of the host and by modulating the host immune response. The use of gene editing and recombinant DNA techniques to create tailored probiotics and to characterize next-generation beneficial microbes. For example, engineering that improves the anti-inflammatory profile of probiotics can reduce the number of colonic polyps formed, and lactobacilli can be transformed into targeted delivery systems carrying therapeutic proteins or bioengineered bacteriophage. The association of specific microbiota composition with colorectal cancer, liver diseases, osteoporosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. The gut microbiota has been proposed to serve as an organ involved in regulation of inflammation, immune function, and energy homeostasis. Fecal microbiota transplantation as a promising treatment for numerous diseases beyond C. difficile infection. Practical considerations for using fecal microbiota transplantation are provided, while it is acknowledged that more high-quality evidence is needed to ascertain the importance of strain specificity in positive treatment outcomes. Because systems biology approaches and synthetic engineering of microbes are now high-throughput and cost-effective, a much wider range of therapeutic possibilities can be explored and vetted.

Download or read book Biological Toxins and Bioterrorism written by P. Gopalakrishnakone and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-01-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biological toxins are an important part of our world, a reality with which we need to cope, so in parallel with understanding their mechanisms of action and thereby improving our fundamental knowledge, there are successful efforts to utilize them as therapeutics against some debilitating human and animal diseases. In view of the complexity of different types of biotoxins and the broad range of toxin structure, physiology, utility, and countermeasures including regulatory issues, it was thus aimed to compile a book on biotoxins and bioweapons. This reference work in the Toxinology handbook series gathers together knowledge from around the globe about naturally inspired and manufactured biological weapons. The authors describe how they work; how authorities may detect their presence, prevent their use, and diagnose their impacts; and the means by which medical and paramedical professionals may treat victims. Also described are how they have been used to further our knowledge and what insights they have given us into evolutionary and physiological processes. Finally, it is also discussed how these toxins can be used as therapeutics and what the implications of such therapeutics are to their use as biothreat agents. This volume provides a reference accessible to scientists, educators, and medical experts alike with an interest in biotoxins, focusing on the major toxins used as bioweapons. Regulatory agencies will also benefit from the information provided in this book. Some in the intended audience may need to understand how they elicit their effects and how we can defend ourselves against them. Others may be interested in the sometimes colorful histories that surround this subset of biotoxins that can be and, in some cases, have been used as weapons.

Download or read book The Comprehensive Sourcebook of Bacterial Protein Toxins written by Joseph E. Alouf and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2005-12-20 with total page 1072 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book describes the major achievements and discoveries relevant to bacterial protein toxins since the turn of the new century illustrated by the discovery of more than fifty novel toxins (many of them identified through genome screening). The establishment of the three-dimensional crystal structure of more than 20 toxins during the same period offers deeper knowledge of structure-activity relationships and provides a framework to understand how toxins recognize receptors, penetrate membranes and interact with and modify intracellular substrates. Edited by two of the most highly regarded experts in the field from the Institut Pasteur, France 14 brand new chapters dedicated to coverage of historical and general aspects of toxinology Includes the major toxins of both basic and clinical interest are described in depth Details applied aspects of toxins such as therapy, vaccinology, and toolkits in cell biology Evolutionary and functional aspects of bacterial toxins evaluated and summarized Toxin applications in cell biology presented Therapy (cancer therapy, dystonias) discussed Vaccines (native and genetically engineered vaccines) featured Toxins discussed as biological weapons, comprising chapters on anthrax, diphtheria, ricin etc.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Cancer written by Manfred Schwab and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-09-23 with total page 3307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive encyclopedic reference provides rapid access to focused information on topics of cancer research for clinicians, research scientists and advanced students. Given the overwhelming success of the first edition, which appeared in 2001, and fast development in the different fields of cancer research, it has been decided to publish a second fully revised and expanded edition. With an A-Z format of over 7,000 entries, more than 1,000 contributing authors provide a complete reference to cancer. The merging of different basic and clinical scientific disciplines towards the common goal of fighting cancer makes such a comprehensive reference source all the more timely.

Download or read book Toxic Plant Proteins written by J. Michael Lord and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-07-20 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many plants produce enzymes collectively known as ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs). RIPs catalyze the removal of an adenine residue from a conserved loop in the large ribosomal RNA. The adenine residue removed by this depurination is crucial for the binding of elongation factors. Ribosomes modified in this way are no longer able to carry out protein synthesis. Most RIPs exist as single polypeptides (Type 1 RIPs) which are largely non-toxic to mammalian cells because they are unable to enter them and thus cannot reach their ribosomal substrate. In some instances, however, the RIP forms part of a heterodimer where its partner polypeptide is a lectin (Type 2 RIPs). These heterodimeric RIPs are able to bind to and enter mammalian cells. Their ability to reach and modify ribosomes in target cells means these proteins are some of the most potently cytotoxic poisons found in nature, and are widely assumed to play a protective role as part of the host plant’s defenses. RIPs are able to further damage target cells by inducing apoptosis. In addition, certain plants produce lectins lacking an RIP component but which are also cytotoxic. This book focuses on the structure/function and some potential applications of these toxic plant proteins.

Download or read book Bacterial Exotoxins How Bacteria Fight the Immune System written by Inka Sastalla and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2016-10-07 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bacterial pathogenicity factors are functionally diverse. They may facilitate the adhesion and colonization of bacteria, influence the host immune response, assist spreading of the bacterium by e.g. evading recognition by immune cells, or allow bacteria to dwell within protected niches inside the eukaryotic cell. Exotoxins can be single polypeptides or heteromeric protein complexes that act on different parts of the cells. At the cell surface, they may insert into the membrane to cause damage; bind to receptors to initiate their uptake; or facilitate the interaction with other cell types. For example, bacterial superantigens specifically bind to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II molecules on the surface of antigen presenting cells and the T cell receptor, while cytolysins cause pore formation. For intracellular activity, exotoxins need to be translocated across the eukaryotic membrane. Gram-negative bacteria can directly inject effector proteins in a receptor-independent manner by use of specialized needle apparatus such as bacterial type II, III, or type IV secretion systems. Other methods of translocation include the phagocytic uptake of bacteria followed by toxin secretion, or receptor-mediated endocytosis which allows the targeting of distinct cell types. Receptor-based uptake is initiated by the binding of heteromeric toxin complexes to the cell surface and completed by the translocation of the effector protein(s) across the endosomal membrane. In the cytosol, toxins interact with specific eukaryotic target proteins to cause post-translational modifications that often result in the manipulation of cellular signalling cascades and inflammatory responses. It has become evident that the actions of some bacterial toxins may exceed their originally assumed cytotoxic function. For example, pore-forming toxins do not only cause cytolysis, but may also induce autophagy, pyroptosis, or activation of the MAPK pathways, resulting in adjustment of the host immune response to infection and modification of inflammatory responses both locally and systemically. Other recently elucidated examples of the immunomodulatory function of cell death-inducing exotoxins include TcdB of Clostridium difficile which activates the inflammasome through modification of cellular Rho GTPases, or the Staphyloccocus d-toxin which activates mast cells. The goal of this research topic was to gather current knowledge on the interaction of bacterial exotoxins and effector proteins with the host immune system. The following 16 research and review articles in this special issue describe mechanisms of immune modification and evasion and provide an overview over the complexity of bacterial toxin interaction with different cells of the immune system.