RT Journal Article
T1 The therapeutic potential of fungal ribotoxins
A1 Carreras Sangrà, Nelson
A1 Álvarez García, Elisa
A1 Herrero Galán, Elías
A1 Tomé, Jaime
A1 Lacadena García-Gallo, Francisco Javier
A1 Alegre Cebollada, Jorge
A1 Oñaderra, Mercedes
A1 Gavilanes, José G.
A1 Martínez Del Pozo, Álvaro
AB Ribotoxins constitute a family of toxic extracellular fungal RNases that exert a highly specific activity on aconserved region of the larger molecule of rRNA, known as the sarcin–ricin loop. This cleavage of a single phosphodiesterbond inactivates the ribosome and leads to protein synthesis inhibition and cell death. In addition to this ribonucleolyticactivity, ribotoxins can cross lipid membranes in the absence of any known protein receptor. This ability is dueto their capacity to interact with acid phospholipid-containing membranes. Both activities together explain their cytotoxiccharacter, being rather specific when assayed against some transformed cell lines. The determination of high-resolutionstructures of some ribotoxins, the characterization of a large number of mutants, and the use of lipid model vesicles andtransformed cell lines have been the tools used for the study of their mechanism of action at the molecular level. The presentknowledge suggests that wild-type ribotoxins or some modified variants might be used in human therapies. Productionof hypoallergenic mutants and immunotoxins designed against specific tumors stand out as feasible alternatives totreat some human pathology in the mid-term future.
PB Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
SN 1389-2010
YR 2008
FD 2008
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/52957
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/52957
LA eng
NO Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia de España
DS Docta Complutense
RD 9 abr 2025