ANTIGEN PROTECTING PROTEINS AGAINST MUTED ANTRAX TOXINS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED TO CELLS CONTAINING HIGH QUANTITIES OF METALOPROTEINAS OF THE CELL SURFACE OR RECEPTORS OF THE PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR.

摘要

An in vitro method of directing a compound to a cell that overexpresses a plasminogen activator, the method comprising the steps of: (i) administering to the cell a mutant Bacillus anthracis protective antigen protein comprising a cleavage site recognized by the plasminogen activator instead of the cleavage site recognized by the furin of the native protective antigen, in which the mutant Bacillus anthracis protective antigen is cleaved by a plasminogen activator; and (ii) administering to the cell a compound comprising a Bacillus anthracis lethal factor polypeptide comprising a protective antigen binding site; wherein the Bacillus anthracis lethal factor polypeptide binds to the cleaved protective antigen and translocates into the cell, therefore distributing the compound to the cell.