© Statens Serum Institut
Background:Ricin (also known as RCA60) is a potent biotoxin which can be extracted from the castor bean and is considered an important potential bioterrorism weapon. Ricin consists of a lectin component (the B-chain) and a toxin component (the A-chain) linked by a disulfide bond. The A-chain is a ribosome-inactivating enzyme with a molecular weight of 32 kDa that cleaves adenine 4324 of the 28S RNA in the 60S ribosomal subunit. The B-chain is a galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine-binding lectin (34 kDa) which binds to cell surfaces and is detached after endocytosis when the A-chain is released to the cytoplasm. Together, the two chains constitute one of the most potent cytotoxins in nature whereas no toxic effects are known for the isolated single chains. Ricin causes extensive cell death and doses down to 1 mg can be lethal.
Ricin was named by Stillmark in 1888 when he tested the ability of Castor bean extracts to agglutiante red blood cells. However, it has now been shown that the agglutination was due to another toxin that was also present, called RCA (Ricinus communis agglutinin). Ricin (RCA60) is a potent cytotoxin but a weak hemagglutinin, whereas RCA is a weak cytotoxin and a powerful hemagglutinin.
The Antibodies:
POL 007 can be used for detection of Ricin chain A in ELISA and western blotting as well as neutralize lethal doses of Ricin in mice.
POL 008 can be used for detection of Ricin chain B in ELISA and western blotting but only weak neutralization of Ricin in mice has been observed.
References: 1) Beyer N.H., Kogutowska E., Hansen J.J., Illigen K.E.E., Heegaard N.H.H. A mouse model for ricin poisoning and for evaluating protective effects of antiricin antibodies. Clin.Toxicol. 2009 Mar, 47(3), 219-225. 2) Olsnes S, and Kozlov J.V. Ricin. Toxicon. 2001 Nov; 39 (11):1723-8. Review.
3) Wesche J, Rapak A, Olsnes S. Dependence of ricin toxicity on translocation of the toxin A-chain from the endoplasmic reticulum to the cytosol. J Biol Chem. 1999 Nov 26; 274(48): 34443-9.
4) Olsnes S, Pihl A. Ricin - a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis. FEBS Lett. 1972 Feb 15; 20(3): 327-329.
Information:
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