The present invention relates to an immunotoxin comprising a mouse antihuman-CD5 monoclonal antibody conjugated to the toxin Pyrularia thionin (P.) thionin. P. thionin is a small, highly stable, membrane active peptide which is toxic to some procaryotic and all eucaryotic cells tested to date. The P. thioninimmunotoxin displays a high degree of cytotoxicity and specificity. The P. thionin immunotoxin was cytotoxic towards T cells which express the CD5 antigen, yet showed no reactivity towards human B cells, human or sheep erythrocytes or mouse lymphocytes which do not express the human CD5 antigen.
展开▼