The Function of Toxin Moiety

The toxin moiety in an immunotoxin is responsible for exerting a cytotoxic effect on target cells. Once the immunotoxin is internalized by the target cell, the toxin moiety is released and exerts its cytotoxic effect. Common mechanisms of action for toxin moieties include inhibition of protein synthesis, interference with DNA synthesis or repair, disruption of cellular membranes, or induction of apoptosis. The natural binding domain of the toxin moiety may have a broad affinity for various cell types, which can lead to unintended toxicity and harm to normal cells. Therefore, the toxin moiety is commonly deprived of its natural binding domain to enhance the specificity of the immunotoxin.

Creative Biolabs offers a comprehensive toxin production and optimization service, including toxin selection, structure optimization, expression system development, purification, and formulation. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing customized solutions and support to our clients throughout the immunotoxin development process. By leveraging our expertise and state-of-the-art technologies, we are committed to delivering potent and safe immunotoxins that address the unique needs of each project.

Fig.1 Three generations of immunotoxins.¹

Our Services

At Creative Biolabs, we provide a one-stop immunotoxin construction service, including:

Toxin Moiety Optimization

Toxin optimization in immuno-toxin development is a crucial step to enhance its therapeutic efficacy and minimize immunogenicity and off-target effects. Creative Biolabs offers several strategies for toxin optimization.

• Enhancing targeting specificity

Mutations can be introduced in the toxin moiety to improve its specificity and binding affinity for the target cells.

• Potency improvement

Genetic modifications can be introduced to optimize the binding of the toxin to cellular receptors and improve its internalization and intracellular trafficking, leading to enhanced efficacy.

• Reduced immunogenicity

To minimize immune responses against the immunotoxin, efforts can be made to reduce its immunogenicity. This can involve modifying or removing immunogenic epitopes within the toxin or antibody component.

Toxin Expression

Immunotoxins can be generated by conjugation of the toxin molecule with a targeting moiety or by expressing targeting moiety-toxin fusion proteins. For the recombinant expression of immunotoxins, a crucial step is the choice of the production host. At Creative Biolabs, we can utilize various expression systems from bacterial to mammalian host cells to produce immunotoxins. Each system has its advantages and limitations.

Types of Toxins

Various toxic agents from different sources have been used in immunotoxin development.

Table.1 various toxins used in immunotoxins.

Our Advantages

• One-stop immunotoxin development platform
• Various expression systems for immunotoxin production
• Customized solutions tailored to the specific needs of our clients
• Rigorous quality control

Reference

1. Srivastava, Suchita, and Suaib Luqman. "Immune-O-Toxins as the magic bullet for therapeutic purposes." Biomedical Research and Therapy 2 (2015): 1-15.

For Research Use Only | Not For Clinical Use