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Li Z, Ma B, Gong M, Guo L, Wang L, Xu H, Xie J. Sensitive Detection and Differentiation of Biologically Active Ricin and Abrin in Complex Matrices via Specific Neutralizing Antibody-Based Cytotoxicity Assay. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:237. [PMID: 38922132 PMCID: PMC11209497 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Ricin and abrin are highly potent plant-derived toxins, categorized as type II ribosome-inactivating proteins. High toxicity, accessibility, and the lack of effective countermeasures make them potential agents in bioterrorism and biowarfare, posing significant threats to public safety. Despite the existence of many effective analytical strategies for detecting these two lethal toxins, current methods are often hindered by limitations such as insufficient sensitivity, complex sample preparation, and most importantly, the inability to distinguish between biologically active and inactive toxin. In this study, a cytotoxicity assay was developed to detect active ricin and abrin based on their potent cell-killing capability. Among nine human cell lines derived from various organs, HeLa cells exhibited exceptional sensitivity, with limits of detection reaching 0.3 ng/mL and 0.03 ng/mL for ricin and abrin, respectively. Subsequently, toxin-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies MIL50 and 10D8 were used to facilitate the precise identification and differentiation of ricin and abrin. The method provides straightforward and sensitive detection in complex matrices including milk, plasma, coffee, orange juice, and tea via a simple serial-dilution procedure without any complex purification and enrichment steps. Furthermore, this assay was successfully applied in the unambiguous identification of active ricin and abrin in samples from OPCW biotoxin exercises.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Hua Xu
- Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Jianwei Xie
- Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
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Oliveira M, Azevedo L, Ballard D, Branicki W, Amorim A. Using plants in forensics: State-of-the-art and prospects. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 336:111860. [PMID: 37683985 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The increasing use of plant evidence in forensic investigations gave rise to a powerful new discipline - Forensic Botany - that analyses micro- or macroscopic plant materials, such as the totality or fragments of an organ (i.e., leaves, stems, seeds, fruits, roots) and tissue (i.e., pollen grains, spores, fibers, cork) or its chemical composition (i. e., secondary metabolites, isotopes, DNA, starch grains). Forensic botanists frequently use microscopy, chemical analysis, and botanical expertise to identify and interpret evidence crucial to solving civil and criminal issues, collaborating in enforcing laws or regulations, and ensuring public health safeguards. The present work comprehensively examines the current state and future potential of Forensic Botany. The first section conveys the critical steps of plant evidence collection, documentation, and preservation, emphasizing the importance of these initial steps in maintaining the integrity of the items. It explores the different molecular analyses, covering the identification of plant species and varieties or cultivars, and discusses the limitations and challenges of these techniques in forensics. The subsequent section covers the diversity of Forensic Botany approaches, examining how plant evidence exposes food and pharmaceutical frauds, uncovers insufficient or erroneous labeling, traces illegal drug trafficking routes, and combats the illegal collection or trade of protected species and derivatives. National and global security issues, including the implications of biological warfare, bioterrorism, and biocrime are addressed, and a review of the contributions of plant evidence in crime scene investigations is provided, synthesizing a comprehensive overview of the diverse facets of Forensic Botany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Oliveira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Ipatimup - Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Luísa Azevedo
- UMIB - Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS - School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; ITR - Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, Porto, Portugal
| | - David Ballard
- King's Forensics, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wojciech Branicki
- Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; Institute of Forensic Research, Kraków, Poland
| | - Antonio Amorim
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Ipatimup - Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; FCUP - Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Wittek O, Jahreis B, Römpp A. MALDI MS Imaging of Chickpea Seeds ( Cicer arietinum) and Crab's Eye Vine ( Abrus precatorius) after Tryptic Digestion Allows Spatially Resolved Identification of Plant Proteins. Anal Chem 2023; 95:14972-14980. [PMID: 37749896 PMCID: PMC10568532 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c02428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) imaging following in situ enzymatic digestion is a versatile analytical method for the untargeted investigation of protein distributions, which has rarely been used for plants so far. The present study describes a workflow for in situ tryptic digestion of plant seed tissue for MALDI MS imaging. Substantial modifications to the sample preparation procedure for mammalian tissues were necessary to cater to the specific properties of plant materials. For the first time, distributions of tryptic peptides were successfully visualized in plant tissue using MS imaging with accurate mass detection. Sixteen proteins were visualized and identified in chickpea seeds showing different distribution patterns, e.g., in the cotyledons, radicle, or testa. All tryptic peptides were detected with a mass resolution higher than 60,000 as well as a mass accuracy better than 1.5 ppm root-mean-square error and were matched to results from complementary liquid chromatography-MS/MS (LC-MS/MS) data. The developed method was also applied to crab's eye vine seeds for targeted MS imaging of the toxic protein abrin, showing the presence of abrin-a in all compartments. Abrin (59 kDa), as well as the majority of proteins visualized in chickpeas, was larger than 50 kDa and would thus not be readily accessible by top-down MS imaging. Since antibodies for plant proteins are often not readily available, in situ digestion MS imaging provides unique information, as it makes the distribution and identification of larger proteins in plant tissues accessible in an untargeted manner. This opens up new possibilities in the field of plant science as well as to assess the nutritional quality and/or safety of crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bastian Jahreis
- Bioanalytical Sciences and
Food Analysis, University of Bayreuth, Universitaetsstrasse 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Andreas Römpp
- Bioanalytical Sciences and
Food Analysis, University of Bayreuth, Universitaetsstrasse 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany
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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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Liu Z, Tong Z, Wu Y, Liu B, Feng S, Mu X, Wang J, Du B, Xu J, Liu S. A New Method for Abrin Detection Based on the Interaction between Target Molecules and Fluorescently Labeled Aptamers on Magnetic Microspheres. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 15:6977. [PMID: 36234322 PMCID: PMC9573059 DOI: 10.3390/ma15196977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model for the structure and affinity of abrin aptamers was established. A higher affinity abrin aptamer based on the established QSAR model was screened by site-directed mutagenesis. The fluorescence quenching effect between magnetic microspheres and fluorescent molecules was studied for the first time. A new method for abrin detection based on the interaction between target molecules and fluorescently labeled aptamers on magnetic microspheres was developed, with the detection limit of 5 ng mL-1. This method can overcome the influence of complex environmental interferents in abrin detection and can meet the analysis requirements for simulated samples such as water, soil, and food.
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Walper SA, Lasarte Aragonés G, Sapsford KE, Brown CW, Rowland CE, Breger JC, Medintz IL. Detecting Biothreat Agents: From Current Diagnostics to Developing Sensor Technologies. ACS Sens 2018; 3:1894-2024. [PMID: 30080029 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.8b00420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Although a fundamental understanding of the pathogenicity of most biothreat agents has been elucidated and available treatments have increased substantially over the past decades, they still represent a significant public health threat in this age of (bio)terrorism, indiscriminate warfare, pollution, climate change, unchecked population growth, and globalization. The key step to almost all prevention, protection, prophylaxis, post-exposure treatment, and mitigation of any bioagent is early detection. Here, we review available methods for detecting bioagents including pathogenic bacteria and viruses along with their toxins. An introduction placing this subject in the historical context of previous naturally occurring outbreaks and efforts to weaponize selected agents is first provided along with definitions and relevant considerations. An overview of the detection technologies that find use in this endeavor along with how they provide data or transduce signal within a sensing configuration follows. Current "gold" standards for biothreat detection/diagnostics along with a listing of relevant FDA approved in vitro diagnostic devices is then discussed to provide an overview of the current state of the art. Given the 2014 outbreak of Ebola virus in Western Africa and the recent 2016 spread of Zika virus in the Americas, discussion of what constitutes a public health emergency and how new in vitro diagnostic devices are authorized for emergency use in the U.S. are also included. The majority of the Review is then subdivided around the sensing of bacterial, viral, and toxin biothreats with each including an overview of the major agents in that class, a detailed cross-section of different sensing methods in development based on assay format or analytical technique, and some discussion of related microfluidic lab-on-a-chip/point-of-care devices. Finally, an outlook is given on how this field will develop from the perspective of the biosensing technology itself and the new emerging threats they may face.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A. Walper
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
| | - Guillermo Lasarte Aragonés
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
- College of Science, George Mason University Fairfax, Virginia 22030, United States
| | - Kim E. Sapsford
- OMPT/CDRH/OIR/DMD Bacterial Respiratory and Medical Countermeasures Branch, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland 20993, United States
| | - Carl W. Brown
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
- College of Science, George Mason University Fairfax, Virginia 22030, United States
| | - Clare E. Rowland
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
- National Research Council, Washington, D.C. 20036, United States
| | - Joyce C. Breger
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
| | - Igor L. Medintz
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
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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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Biological toxins of potential bioterrorism risk: Current status of detection and identification technology. Trends Analyt Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2016.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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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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