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Drinkard K, Barr JR, Kalb SR. Mass Spectrometric Detection and Differentiation of Enzymatically Active Abrin and Ricin Combined with a Novel Affinity Enrichment Technique. Chem Res Toxicol 2024; 37:1218-1228. [PMID: 38963334 PMCID: PMC11256886 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.4c00149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Abrin and ricin are toxic proteins produced by plants. Both proteins are composed of two subunits, an A-chain and a B-chain. The A-chain is responsible for the enzymatic activity, which causes toxicity. The B-chain binds to glycoproteins on the cell surface to direct the A-chain to its target. Both toxins depurinate 28S rRNA, making it impossible to differentiate these toxins based on only their enzymatic activity. We developed an analytical workflow for both ricin and abrin using a single method and sample. We have developed a novel affinity enrichment technique based on the ability of the B-chain to bind a glycoprotein, asialofetuin. After the toxin is extracted with asialofetuin-coated magnetic beads, an RNA substrate is added. Then, depurination is detected by a benchtop matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI TOF) mass spectrometer to determine the presence or absence of an active toxin. Next, the beads are subjected to tryptic digest. Toxin fingerprinting is done on a benchtop MALDI-TOF MS. We validated the assay through sensitivity and specificity studies and determined the limit of detection for each toxin as nanogram level for enzymatic activity and μg level for toxin fingerprinting. We examined potential cross-reactivity from proteins that are near neighbors of the toxins and examined potential false results in the presence of white powders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn
K. Drinkard
- National Center for Environmental Health,
Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
| | - John R. Barr
- National Center for Environmental Health,
Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
| | - Suzanne R. Kalb
- National Center for Environmental Health,
Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, United States
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2
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Chen Y, Liu J, Song T, Zou X, Li L, Nie Q, Zhang P. Gaps in forensic toxicological analysis: The veiled abrin. Toxicon 2024; 242:107684. [PMID: 38513827 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Abrus precatorius is an herbaceous, flowering plant that is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Its toxic component, known as abrin, is classified as one of the potentially significant biological warfare agents and bioterrorism tools due to its high toxicity. Abrin poisoning can be utilized to cause accidents, suicides, and homicides, which necessitates attention from clinicians and forensic scientists. Although a few studies have recently identified the toxicological and pharmacological mechanisms of abrin, the exact mechanism remains unclear. Furthermore, the clinical symptoms and pathological changes induced by abrin poisoning have not been fully characterized, and there is a lack of standardized methods for identifying biological samples of the toxin. Therefore, there is an urgent need for further toxicopathologic studies and the development of detection methods for abrin in the field of forensic medicine. This review provides an overview of the clinical symptoms, pathological changes, metabolic changes, toxicologic mechanisms, and detection methods of abrin poisoning from the perspective of forensic toxicology. Additionally, the evidence on abrin in the field of forensic toxicology and forensic pathology is discussed. Overall, this review serves as a reference for understanding the toxicological mechanism of abrin, highlighting the clinical applications of the toxin, and aiding in the diagnosis and forensic identification of toxin poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinyu Chen
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Provincial Academician Workstation (tropical forensic medicine), Hainan Provincial Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, International School of Public Health and One Health, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570102, China
| | - Tao Song
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Provincial Academician Workstation (tropical forensic medicine), Hainan Provincial Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China
| | - Xing Zou
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Provincial Academician Workstation (tropical forensic medicine), Hainan Provincial Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China
| | - Leilei Li
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Provincial Academician Workstation (tropical forensic medicine), Hainan Provincial Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China
| | - Qianyun Nie
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine and Life Sciences, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China; Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570102, China.
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Provincial Academician Workstation (tropical forensic medicine), Hainan Provincial Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China.
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3
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Sharma S, Kaur G, Kumar A, Singh R. Trends in the analysis of abrin poisoning for forensic purposes. J Forensic Leg Med 2023; 98:102564. [PMID: 37459705 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2023.102564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Abrus precatorius is a poisonous plant known since ancient times. Accidental poisoning is more common due to the intake of plant seeds containing deadly abrin which is a highly toxic and a thermolabile plant toxalbumin. Abrin has also been reported to be a potential chemical agent that can be used as bioweapon in military or terrorism. Abrin is a ribosome inactivating protein that contains multiple isotoxic forms of protein subunits called chain A and B. The identification of this toxalbumin in the plant is important to determine cause of death in poisoning cases. Therefore, the present review focuses on the structure, mode of administration, tokicokinetics, extraction procedures and forensic analysis of abrin and other constituents. It is observed that most of the researchers have utilized immunological methods for the detection of plant components. This technique has proved to be more sensitive, reliable and accurate for the detection of extremely low concentrations of toxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spriha Sharma
- Department of Forensic Science, Chandigarh University, Punjab, India.
| | - Gurleen Kaur
- Department of Forensic Science, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India.
| | - Adarsh Kumar
- Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, AIIMS, New Delhi, India.
| | - Rajinder Singh
- Department of Forensic Science, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India.
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4
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Xu J, Xu J, Tong Z, Du B, Liu B, Mu X, Guo T, Yu S, Liu S, Gao C, Wang J, Liu Z, Zhang P. Performance of feature extraction method for classification and identification of proteins based on three-dimensional fluorescence spectrometry. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2023; 285:121841. [PMID: 36179565 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2022.121841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy was employed to discriminate protein samples comprising bovine serum albumin, neurotensin, ovalbumin, ricin, trypsin from bovine pancreas and trypsin from porcine pancreas. Two methods of feature extraction with and without parameterization were applied to the spectral data in order to evaluate their performance of discrimination between protein samples. The discrimination of protein samples was conducted by k-means clustering algorithm and eigenvalue extracting procedure based on principal component analysis (PCA). It was found that the method of feature extraction without parameterization performed best, correctly attributing 100% of the spectral data in the condition of two principal components (PCs) captured. Features extracted with spectral parameterization failed to separate ricin and trypsin from bovine pancreas in same condition. Without spectral parameterization, less dimensionality and unique principal components captured by PCA indicates the spectrally-resolved features of corresponding protein samples. By clustering using each spectrum at fixed excitation wavelength, excitation wavelengths matched with common intrinsic fluorophores were found to be more sensitive to the classification accuracy. Contributions of spectral features extracted from EEM to the principal components were discussed and demonstrated their feature differentiation capabilities among six protein samples. These results reveal that appropriate extraction approach of features in combination with PCA analysis could be used in discrimination of protein samples at species level as a spectroscopic diagnostic tool. Our study provides fundamental references about computational strategies when EEM are used to explore proteins in ambient environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Jianjie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China.
| | - Zhaoyang Tong
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Bin Du
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Bing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Xihui Mu
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Tengxiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Siqi Yu
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Chuan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Jiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Zhiwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Pengjie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
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5
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Liu S, Tong Z, Jiang C, Gao C, Liu B, Mu X, Xu J, Du B, Liu Z, Wang J, Xu J. Ultra-sensitive electrochemiluminescence biosensor for abrin detection based on dual-labeled phage display affibodies and polystyrene nanospheres. Microchem J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2022.107940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Phage Display Affibodies Combined with AuNPs@Ru(bpy)32+ for Ultra-Sensitive Electrochemiluminescence Detection of Abrin. CHEMOSENSORS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/chemosensors10050184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Abrin is a cytotoxin with strong lethality, which is a serious threat to human health and public safety, and thus, highly sensitive detection methods are urgently needed. The phage display affibody has two major modules, among which, the affibody fragment, with small molecular weight, high affinity and easy preparation, can be used for the specific recognition of the target, and the phage shell, with numerous protein copies, can be used as a carrier for the massive enrichment of signal molecules, and thus is particularly suitable as a sensitive probe for signal amplification in high-sensitivity biosensors. In this study, with antibody-coated magnetic microspheres as capture probes, Ru(bpy)32+ and biotin dual-labeled phage display affibodies as the specific signal probes and AuNPs@Ru(bpy)32+ (Ru(bpy)32+-coated gold nanoparticles) as the signal amplification nanomaterials, a new electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor with a four-level sandwich structure of “magnetic capture probe-abrin-phage display affibody-AuNPs@Ru(bpy)32+” was constructed for abrin detection. In this detection mode, AuNPs@Ru(bpy)32+, a gold nanocomposite prepared rapidly via electrical interaction, contained an extremely high density of signal molecules, and the phage display affibodies with powerful loading capacity were not only labeled with Ru(bpy)32+, but also enriched with AuNPs@Ru(bpy)32+ in large amounts. These designs greatly improved the detection capability of the sensor, ultimately achieving the ultra-sensitive detection of abrin. The limit of detection (LOD) was 4.1 fg/mL (3δ/S), and the quantification range was from 5 fg/mL to 5 pg/mL. The sensor had good reproducibility and specificity and performed well in the test of simulated samples. This study expanded the application of affibodies in the field of biosensing and also deeply explored the signal amplification potential of phage display technology, which is of high value for the construction of simple and efficient sensors with high sensitivity.
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A highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence method for abrin detection by a portable biosensor based on a screen-printed electrode with a phage display affibody as specific labeled probe. Anal Bioanal Chem 2021; 414:1095-1104. [PMID: 34854959 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03735-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Abrin is a highly toxic ribosome-inactivating protein, which could be used as a biological warfare agent and terrorist weapon, and thus needs to be detected efficiently and accurately. Affibodies are a new class of engineered affinity proteins with small size, high affinity, high stability, favorable folding and good robustness, but they have rarely played a role in biological detection. In this work, we establish a novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) method for abrin detection with a phage display affibody as the specific probe for the first time, to our knowledge, and a portable biosensor based on a screen-printed electrode (SPE) as the testing platform. On the basis of the double antibody sandwich structure in our previous work, we used a phage display affibody instead of monoclonal antibody as a new specific labeled probe. Due to numerous signal molecules labeled on M13 phages, significant signal amplification was achieved in this experiment. Under optimized conditions, a linear dependence was observed from 0.005 to 100 ng/mL with a limit of detection (LOD) of 5 pg/mL. This assay also showed good reproducibility and specificity, and performed well in the detection of simulated samples. Considering its high sensitivity, interference resistance and convenience, this new biosensing system based on phage display affibodies and a portable ECL biosensor holds promise for in situ detection of toxins and pollutants in different environments.
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Worbs S, Kampa B, Skiba M, Hansbauer EM, Stern D, Volland H, Becher F, Simon S, Dorner MB, Dorner BG. Differentiation, Quantification and Identification of Abrin and Abrus precatorius Agglutinin. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13040284. [PMID: 33919561 PMCID: PMC8073929 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13040284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Abrin, the toxic lectin from the rosary pea plant Abrus precatorius, has gained considerable interest in the recent past due to its potential malevolent use. However, reliable and easy-to-use assays for the detection and discrimination of abrin from related plant proteins such as Abrus precatorius agglutinin or the homologous toxin ricin from Ricinus communis are sparse. To address this gap, a panel of highly specific monoclonal antibodies was generated against abrin and the related Abrus precatorius agglutinin. These antibodies were used to establish two sandwich ELISAs to preferentially detect abrin or A. precatorius agglutinin (limit of detection 22 pg/mL for abrin; 35 pg/mL for A. precatorius agglutinin). Furthermore, an abrin-specific lateral flow assay was developed for rapid on-site detection (limit of detection ~1 ng/mL abrin). Assays were validated for complex food, environmental and clinical matrices illustrating broad applicability in different threat scenarios. Additionally, the antibodies turned out to be suitable for immuno-enrichment strategies in combination with mass spectrometry-based approaches for unambiguous identification. Finally, we were able to demonstrate for the first time how the developed assays can be applied to detect, identify and quantify abrin from a clinical sample derived from an attempted suicide case involving A. precatorius.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia Worbs
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.W.); (B.K.); (M.S.); (E.-M.H.); (D.S.); (M.B.D.)
| | - Bettina Kampa
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.W.); (B.K.); (M.S.); (E.-M.H.); (D.S.); (M.B.D.)
| | - Martin Skiba
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.W.); (B.K.); (M.S.); (E.-M.H.); (D.S.); (M.B.D.)
| | - Eva-Maria Hansbauer
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.W.); (B.K.); (M.S.); (E.-M.H.); (D.S.); (M.B.D.)
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé, Université Paris Saclay, CEA, INRAE, SPI, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; (H.V.); (F.B.); (S.S.)
| | - Daniel Stern
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.W.); (B.K.); (M.S.); (E.-M.H.); (D.S.); (M.B.D.)
| | - Hervé Volland
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé, Université Paris Saclay, CEA, INRAE, SPI, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; (H.V.); (F.B.); (S.S.)
| | - François Becher
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé, Université Paris Saclay, CEA, INRAE, SPI, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; (H.V.); (F.B.); (S.S.)
| | - Stéphanie Simon
- Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé, Université Paris Saclay, CEA, INRAE, SPI, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; (H.V.); (F.B.); (S.S.)
| | - Martin B. Dorner
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.W.); (B.K.); (M.S.); (E.-M.H.); (D.S.); (M.B.D.)
| | - Brigitte G. Dorner
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.W.); (B.K.); (M.S.); (E.-M.H.); (D.S.); (M.B.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-30-18754-2500
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10
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Identification and determination of glycoprotein of edible brid's nest by nanocomposites based lateral flow immunoassay. Food Control 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2019.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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11
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Real-time and in-situ monitoring of Abrin induced cell apoptosis by using SERS spectroscopy. Talanta 2019; 195:8-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2018.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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12
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Janik E, Ceremuga M, Saluk-Bijak J, Bijak M. Biological Toxins as the Potential Tools for Bioterrorism. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E1181. [PMID: 30857127 PMCID: PMC6429496 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20051181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological toxins are a heterogeneous group produced by living organisms. One dictionary defines them as "Chemicals produced by living organisms that have toxic properties for another organism". Toxins are very attractive to terrorists for use in acts of bioterrorism. The first reason is that many biological toxins can be obtained very easily. Simple bacterial culturing systems and extraction equipment dedicated to plant toxins are cheap and easily available, and can even be constructed at home. Many toxins affect the nervous systems of mammals by interfering with the transmission of nerve impulses, which gives them their high potential in bioterrorist attacks. Others are responsible for blockage of main cellular metabolism, causing cellular death. Moreover, most toxins act very quickly and are lethal in low doses (LD50 < 25 mg/kg), which are very often lower than chemical warfare agents. For these reasons we decided to prepare this review paper which main aim is to present the high potential of biological toxins as factors of bioterrorism describing the general characteristics, mechanisms of action and treatment of most potent biological toxins. In this paper we focused on six most danger toxins: botulinum toxin, staphylococcal enterotoxins, Clostridium perfringens toxins, ricin, abrin and T-2 toxin. We hope that this paper will help in understanding the problem of availability and potential of biological toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edyta Janik
- Department of General Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236 Lodz, Poland.
| | - Michal Ceremuga
- CBRN Reconnaissance and Decontamination Department, Military Institute of Chemistry and Radiometry, Antoniego Chrusciela "Montera" 105, 00-910 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Joanna Saluk-Bijak
- Department of General Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236 Lodz, Poland.
| | - Michal Bijak
- Department of General Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236 Lodz, Poland.
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Duracova M, Klimentova J, Fucikova A, Dresler J. Proteomic Methods of Detection and Quantification of Protein Toxins. Toxins (Basel) 2018; 10:toxins10030099. [PMID: 29495560 PMCID: PMC5869387 DOI: 10.3390/toxins10030099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological toxins are a heterogeneous group of compounds that share commonalities with biological and chemical agents. Among them, protein toxins represent a considerable, diverse set. They cover a broad range of molecular weights from less than 1000 Da to more than 150 kDa. This review aims to compare conventional detection methods of protein toxins such as in vitro bioassays with proteomic methods, including immunoassays and mass spectrometry-based techniques and their combination. Special emphasis is given to toxins falling into a group of selected agents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as Staphylococcal enterotoxins, Bacillus anthracis toxins, Clostridium botulinum toxins, Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin, ricin from Ricinus communis, Abrin from Abrus precatorius or control of trade in dual-use items in the European Union, including lesser known protein toxins such as Viscumin from Viscum album. The analysis of protein toxins and monitoring for biological threats, i.e., the deliberate spread of infectious microorganisms or toxins through water, food, or the air, requires rapid and reliable methods for the early identification of these agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miloslava Duracova
- Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defense in Brno, Třebešská 1575, CZ-500 01 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
| | - Jana Klimentova
- Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defense in Brno, Třebešská 1575, CZ-500 01 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
| | - Alena Fucikova
- Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defense in Brno, Třebešská 1575, CZ-500 01 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiri Dresler
- Military Health Institute, Military Medical Agency, Tychonova 1, CZ-160 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
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Mechaly A, Alcalay R, Noy-Porat T, Epstein E, Gal Y, Mazor O. Novel Phage Display-Derived Anti-Abrin Antibodies Confer Post-Exposure Protection against Abrin Intoxication. Toxins (Basel) 2018; 10:toxins10020080. [PMID: 29438273 PMCID: PMC5848181 DOI: 10.3390/toxins10020080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abrin toxin is a type 2 ribosome inactivating glycoprotein isolated from the seeds of Abrus precatorius (jequirity pea). Owing to its high toxicity, relative ease of purification and accessibility, it is considered a biological threat agent. To date, there is no effective post-exposure treatment for abrin poisoning and passive immunization remains the most effective therapy. However, the effectiveness of anti-abrin monoclonal antibodies for post-exposure therapy following abrin intoxication has not been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to isolate high affinity anti-abrin antibodies that possess potent toxin-neutralization capabilities. An immune scFv phage-display library was constructed from an abrin-immunized rabbit and a panel of antibodies (six directed against the A subunit of abrin and four against the B subunit) was isolated and expressed as scFv-Fc antibodies. By pair-wise analysis, we found that these antibodies target five distinct epitopes on the surface of abrin and that antibodies against all these sites can bind the toxin simultaneously. Several of these antibodies (namely, RB9, RB10, RB28 and RB30) conferred high protection against pulmonary intoxication of mice, when administered six hours post exposure to a lethal dose of abrin. The data presented in this study demonstrate for the first time the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies in treatment of mice after pulmonary intoxication with abrin and promote the use of these antibodies, one or several, for post-exposure treatment of abrin intoxication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adva Mechaly
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona 76100, Israel;
| | - Ron Alcalay
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona 76100, Israel; (R.A.); (T.N.-P.); (Y.G.)
| | - Tal Noy-Porat
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona 76100, Israel; (R.A.); (T.N.-P.); (Y.G.)
| | - Eyal Epstein
- Department of Biotechnology, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona 76100, Israel;
| | - Yoav Gal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona 76100, Israel; (R.A.); (T.N.-P.); (Y.G.)
| | - Ohad Mazor
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona 76100, Israel;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +972-8-938-5862; Fax: +972-8-938-1544
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He X, Patfield S, Cheng LW, Stanker LH, Rasooly R, McKeon TA, Zhang Y, Brandon DL. Detection of Abrin Holotoxin Using Novel Monoclonal Antibodies. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:E386. [PMID: 29182545 PMCID: PMC5744106 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9120386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Abrin, a member of the ribosome-inactivating protein family, is produced by the Abrus precatorius plant. Having the potential to pose a severe threat to both human and animal health, abrin is classified as a Select Agent by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. However, an immunoassay that is specific for intact abrin holotoxin has not yet been reported. In this study, seven new monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), designated as Abrin-1 through Abrin-7 have been developed. Isotyping analyses indicate these mAbs have IgG1, IgG2a, or IgG2b heavy-chains and kappa light-chains. Western blot analyses identified two abrin A-chain specific mAbs, Abrin-1 and Abrin-2, and four B-chain specific mAbs (Abrin-3, -5, -6, and -7). A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), capable of detecting a mixture of abrin isoforms and agglutinins was developed using B-chain specific Abrin-3 for capture and A-chain specific Abrin-2 as detector. The ELISA is highly sensitive and detects 1 ng/mL of the abrin holotoxin in phosphate-buffered saline, nonfat milk, and whole milk, significantly below concentrations that would pose a health concern for consumers. This ELISA also detects native abrin in plant extracts with a very low background signal. The new abrin mAbs and ELISA should be useful for detecting this potent toxin in the milk supply chain and other complex matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohua He
- Western Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USA.
| | - Stephanie Patfield
- Western Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USA.
| | - Luisa W Cheng
- Western Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USA.
| | - Larry H Stanker
- Western Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USA.
| | - Reuven Rasooly
- Western Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USA.
| | - Thomas A McKeon
- Western Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USA.
| | - Yuzhu Zhang
- Western Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USA.
| | - David L Brandon
- Western Regional Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710, USA.
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Hansbauer EM, Worbs S, Volland H, Simon S, Junot C, Fenaille F, Dorner BG, Becher F. Rapid Detection of Abrin Toxin and Its Isoforms in Complex Matrices by Immuno-Extraction and Quantitative High Resolution Targeted Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2017; 89:11719-11727. [PMID: 28984440 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b03189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Abrin expressed by the tropical plant Abrus precatorius is highly dangerous with an estimated human lethal dose of 0.1-1 μg/kg body weight. Due to the potential misuse as a biothreat agent, abrin is in the focus of surveillance. Fast and reliable methods are therefore of great importance for early identification. Here, we have developed an innovative and rapid multiepitope immuno-mass spectrometry workflow which is capable of unambiguously differentiating abrin and its isoforms in complex matrices. Toxin-containing samples were incubated with magnetic beads coated with multiple abrin-specific antibodies, thereby concentrating and extracting all the isoforms. Using an ultrasonic bath for digestion enhancement, on-bead trypsin digestion was optimized to obtain efficient and reproducible peptide recovery in only 30 min. Improvements made to the workflow reduced total analysis time to less than 3 h. A large panel of common and isoform-specific peptides was monitored by multiplex LC-MS/MS through the parallel reaction monitoring mode on a quadrupole-Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometer. Additionally, absolute quantification was accomplished by isotope dilution with labeled AQUA peptides. The newly established method was demonstrated as being sensitive and reproducible with quantification limits in the low ng/mL range in various food and clinical matrices for the isoforms of abrin and also the closely related, less toxic Abrus precatorius agglutinin. This method allows for the first time the rapid detection, differentiation, and simultaneous quantification of abrin and its isoforms by mass spectrometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva-Maria Hansbauer
- Service de Pharmacologie et Immunoanalyse (SPI), Laboratoire d'Etude du Métabolisme des Médicaments, CEA, INRA, Université Paris Saclay , F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - Sylvia Worbs
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute , Berlin, Germany
| | - Hervé Volland
- Service de Pharmacologie et Immunoanalyse (SPI), Laboratoire d'Etudes et de Recherches en Immunoanalyse, CEA, INRA, Université Paris Saclay , F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - Stéphanie Simon
- Service de Pharmacologie et Immunoanalyse (SPI), Laboratoire d'Etudes et de Recherches en Immunoanalyse, CEA, INRA, Université Paris Saclay , F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - Christophe Junot
- Service de Pharmacologie et Immunoanalyse (SPI), CEA, INRA, Université Paris Saclay , F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - François Fenaille
- Service de Pharmacologie et Immunoanalyse (SPI), Laboratoire d'Etude du Métabolisme des Médicaments, CEA, INRA, Université Paris Saclay , F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - Brigitte G Dorner
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute , Berlin, Germany
| | - François Becher
- Service de Pharmacologie et Immunoanalyse (SPI), Laboratoire d'Etude du Métabolisme des Médicaments, CEA, INRA, Université Paris Saclay , F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
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17
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A Monoclonal-Monoclonal Antibody Based Capture ELISA for Abrin. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:toxins9100328. [PMID: 29057799 PMCID: PMC5666375 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9100328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Abrin, one of the most highly potent toxins in the world, is derived from the plant, Abrus precatorius. Because of its high toxicity, it poses potential bioterror risks. Therefore, a need exists for new reagents and technologies that would be able to rapidly detect abrin contamination as well as lead to new therapeutics. We report here a group of abrin-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that recognize abrin A-chain, intact A–B chain toxin, and agglutinin by Western blot. Additionally, these mAbs were evaluated for their ability to serve as capture antibodies for a sandwich (capture) ELISA. All possible capture–detector pairs were evaluated and the best antibody pair identified and optimized for a capture ELISA. The capture ELISA based on this capture–detector mAb pair had a limit of detection (L.O.D) of ≈1 ng/mL measured using three independent experiments. The assay did not reveal any false positives with extracts containing other potential ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs). Thus, this new capture ELISA uses mAbs for both capture and detection; has no cross-reactivity against other plant RIPs; and has a sensitivity comparable to other reported capture ELISAs using polyclonal antibodies as either capture or detector.
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Liu X, Zhao Y, Sun C, Wang X, Wang X, Zhang P, Qiu J, Yang R, Zhou L. Rapid detection of abrin in foods with an up-converting phosphor technology-based lateral flow assay. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34926. [PMID: 27703269 PMCID: PMC5050493 DOI: 10.1038/srep34926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abrin is a natural plant toxin found in the seeds of Abrus precatorius. It may be used for food poisoning or bioterrorism, seriously endangering public health. In this study, a reliable method for the rapid detection of abrin in foods was developed, based on an up-converting phosphor technology-based lateral flow assay (abrin-UPT-LFA). Nine high-affinity monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against abrin were prepared, and the optimum mAbs (mAb-6F4 and mAb-10E11) were selected for use in the assay in double-antibody-sandwich mode. The assay was confirmed to be specific for abrin, with a detection sensitivity of 0.1 ng mL-1 for standard abrin solutions. Good linearity was observed for abrin quantitation from 0.1 to 1000 ng mL-1 (r = 0.9983). During the analysis of various abrin-spiked food samples, the assay showed strong sample tolerance and a satisfactory limit of detection for abrin (0.5-10 ng g-1 for solid and powdered samples; 0.30-0.43 ng mL-1 for liquid samples). The analysis of suspected food samples, from sample treatment to result feed-back, could be completed by non-professionals within 20 min. Therefore, the abrin-UPT-LFA is a rapid, sensitive, and reliable method for the on-site detection of abrin in foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Liu
- Chongqing Entry Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Chongqing 400020, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of POCT for Bioemergency and Clinic (No. BZ0329), Beijing 100071, P. R. China
| | - Yong Zhao
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of POCT for Bioemergency and Clinic (No. BZ0329), Beijing 100071, P. R. China
| | - Chongyun Sun
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of POCT for Bioemergency and Clinic (No. BZ0329), Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, P. R. China
| | - Xiaochen Wang
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of POCT for Bioemergency and Clinic (No. BZ0329), Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, P. R. China
| | - Xinrui Wang
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of POCT for Bioemergency and Clinic (No. BZ0329), Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- Institute for Plague Prevention and Control of Hebei Province, Zhangjiakou 075000, P. R. China
| | - Pingping Zhang
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of POCT for Bioemergency and Clinic (No. BZ0329), Beijing 100071, P. R. China
| | - Jingfu Qiu
- School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P. R. China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of POCT for Bioemergency and Clinic (No. BZ0329), Beijing 100071, P. R. China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P. R. China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of POCT for Bioemergency and Clinic (No. BZ0329), Beijing 100071, P. R. China
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Fayad PB, Roy-Lachapelle A, Duy SV, Prévost M, Sauvé S. On-line solid-phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of cyanotoxins in algal blooms. Toxicon 2015; 108:167-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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21
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LIU B, TONG ZY, HAO LQ, LIU W, MU XH, LIU ZW, HUANG QB. A New Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay Based on Magnetic Microbeads as Carrier of Labels. CHINESE JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/s1872-2040(13)60699-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Cho H, Jaworski J. A portable and chromogenic enzyme-based sensor for detection of abrin poisoning. Biosens Bioelectron 2013; 54:667-73. [PMID: 24334282 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2013.11.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2013] [Revised: 11/06/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
A first of its kind portable, colorimetric detection system has been developed for the rapid diagnosis of abrin poisoning. Abrin, a natural biotoxin that is homologous to ricin yet more lethal, has high potential for becoming a weapon of bioterrorism given its ease of production. Using an immobilization strategy that implements non-natural amino acids for site-specific conjugation, we have created a reusable N-methyltryptophan oxidase based magnetic bead system that is capable of detecting L-abrine, a marker for abrin poisoning, at concentrations as low as 4 μM in mock urine. Furthermore, we propose that this detection strategy may be readily adaptable for sensing other targets of interest. This unique diagnostic test for abrin poisoning has demonstrated key benefits of portability and simple visual readout. These significant advantages can thus provide the potential for more rapid assessment and corresponding poison management if dedicated toxicology laboratories are not an option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwayoung Cho
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea; Institute of Nanoscience and Technology, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea
| | - Justyn Jaworski
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea; Institute of Nanoscience and Technology, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea.
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