Toxicity and treament of ricin poisoning:a review
10.3867/j.issn.1000-3002.2016.12.017
- VernacularTitle:蓖麻毒素毒性作用机制及防治研究进展
- Author:
Yuxia WANG
;
Hong QIAO
;
Ziqiao LIU
- Keywords:
ricin;
biothreat agent;
ribosome inactivating protein;
bioterrorism
- From:
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology
2016;30(12):1385-1396
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Ricin is a plant toxin isolated from the seed of the castor plant(Ricinus communis). As a typical II ribosome inactivating protein,ricin consists of two polypeptide chains named ricin toxin A chain(RTA)and ricin toxin B chain(RTB),linked via a disulfide bridge. RTB binds to both glycopro?tein and glycolipid at the surface of the target cell and mediates ricin to be endocytosed and transported retro?gradely to the endoplasmic reticulum. After being reduced and retrotranslocated to the cytosol,RTA mediates its toxicity due to its activity of a RNA N- glycosidases. Aside from its main toxic effect of protein synthesis inhibition,ricin also displays other properties that contribute to its toxicity such as inducing apoptosis,cytokine secreting and peroxidation. Ricin is stable and can be easily isolated. It has many routes of intoxication with no specific antidotes. Due to its natural abundance,remarkable toxicity,and the potential to be used in biological warfare as well as terrorist attacks,ricin has been classified as a Category B biothreat agent. Here we reviewed its history as a biothreat agent,constitu?tion,intoxication mechanism,detection methods and the development of specific antitodes.
