Question

The discovery of a method to produce monoclonal antibodies suggested the possibility of targeting and destroying tumors by making antibodies against tumor-specific antigens. One problem with tumor-specific or tumor-selective monoclonal antibodies as therapeutic agents is inefficient killing of cells after binding of the monoclonal antibody. This can often be circumvented by linking the antibody to a toxin, producing a reagent called an immunotoxin. One favored toxin for this purpose comes from the seeds of the castor oil plant. What is this toxin called?

Phytohemagglutinin
C-reactive protein
Ricin
Phycoerythrin
Streptolysin

Answer 1

Ricin, a toxin from the seeds of the castor oil plant, is often used to create immunotoxins for cancer therapy by linking it to monoclonal antibodies.

Step-by-step explanation:

Toxin Used in Immunotoxin Production

The toxin that is commonly used for linking to an antibody to create an immunotoxin for targeting and destroying tumors is called ricin. Ricin is derived from the seeds of the castor oil plant and is known for its powerful ability to halt protein synthesis within cells, leading to cell death. This property makes ricin a favored toxin in the development of immunotoxins for therapeutic purposes in cancer treatments.

The production of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) involves the fusion of an animal's B cells with myeloma cells to create hybridoma cells, which can then be cultured to produce antibodies specific to an antigen. These mAbs can be linked to toxins like ricin to precisely target and destroy cancer cells.