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. 1993 Sep;36(5):346–350. doi: 10.1007/BF01741174

In vitro and in vivo properties of an anti-CD5—momordin immunotoxin on normal and neoplastic T lymphocytes

G Porro 1, A Bolognesi 2, P Caretto 1, G Gromo 1, P Lento 1, G Mistza 1, T Sciumbata 1, F Stirpe 2, D Modena 1,✉
PMCID: PMC11038204  PMID: 7682894

Abstract

An anti-CD5 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was linked to the plant toxin momordin, a type-1 ribosome-inactivating protein purified fromMomordica charantia. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the immunotoxin was evaluated as the inhibition of protein and/or DNA synthesis on isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and on human T cell leukemia Jurkat. The potency of the immunotoxin on PBMC was very high (IC50 = 1–10 pM) and was not affected by blood components. The conjugate was also very efficient in the inhibition of the proliferative response in a mixed lymphocyte reaction (IC50 = 10 pM). Moreover, the in vitro performances of the immunotoxin compared favourably with those reported for other anti-CD5-based immunoconjugates containing ricin A chain. The in vivo activity of the immunotoxin was assessed in the model ofnu/nu mice bearing Jurkat leukemia. A significant inhibition of the tumour development (80%,P <0.01) in the animals treated with immunotoxin was observed. Taken together, the in vitro and in vivo results suggest that the anti-CD5-momordin conjugate may be useful for graft-versus-host disease therapy and potentially in the treatment of CD5-positive leukemias and lymphomas.

Key words: Immunotoxin, CD5, Momordin, T lymphocyte, GVHD, Cytotoxicity

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