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Introduction

  • Chapter
Clinical Applications of Immunotoxins

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology ((CT MICROBIOLOGY,volume 234))

Abstract

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-function relationships of toxins and discuss how they can be combined with cell-binding antibodies or other ligands to generate immunotoxins.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Division of Basic Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bldg 37/4E16, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    I. FitzGerald & I. Pastan

  2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Welch Hall 5.266 A, Austin, TX, 78712-1167, USA

    J. Robertus

Authors
  1. I. FitzGerald
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  2. I. Pastan
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  3. J. Robertus
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, 29425-2850, Charleston, SC, USA

    Arthur E. Frankel M.D. (Associate Professor of Medicine) (Associate Professor of Medicine)

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© 1998 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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FitzGerald, I., Pastan, I., Robertus, J. (1998). Introduction. In: Frankel, A.E. (eds) Clinical Applications of Immunotoxins. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, vol 234. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72153-3_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72153-3_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-72155-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-72153-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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