Therapeutic Approaches to the Treatment of Botulism
Abstract
Work during the past year has focused on three problems: i) defining the conditions that maximize the binding of toxin to nerve endings. ii) evaluating possibility that botulinum is a mitochondrial poison, and iii) studying the interaction between botulinum neurotoxin and a series of monoclonal antibodies. The work on toxin binding suggests that the approach currently used by most biochemists is flawed. Their approach maximizes binding, but this binding does not appear to involve relevant receptors. The work on mitochondrial function indicates that botulinum neurotoxin is not a mitochondrial poison. If it does affect mitochondrial function, that effect is indirect. The work on monoclonals has shown that type E botulinum neurotoxin can be substantially detoxified by antibodies directed against both the heavy and light chains. It also shows that antigenic determinants on the toxin continue to be exposed after the toxin has bound to nerve endings. Keywords: Neuromuscular blockade, Experimental therapeutics, RA 1, Pharmacological antagonists, Antidotes, Antitoxins, Binding sites.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA206612
Entities
People
- Lance L. Simpson
Organizations
- Thomas Jefferson University