Single-chain immunotoxins directed at the human transferrin receptor containing Pseudomonas exotoxin A or diphtheria toxin: anti-TFR(Fv)-PE40 and DT388-anti-TFR(Fv).

Two single-chain immunotoxins directed at the human transferrin receptor have been constructed by using polymerase chain reaction-based methods. Anti-TFR(Fv)-PE40 is encoded by a gene fusion between the DNA sequence encoding the antigen-binding portion (Fv) of a monoclonal antibody directed at the human transferrin receptor and that encoding a 40,000-molecular-weight fragment of Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE40). The other fusion protein, DT388-anti-TFR(Fv), is encoded by a gene fusion between the DNA encoding a truncated form of diphtheria toxin and that encoding the antigen-binding portion of antibody to human transferrin receptor. These gene fusions were expressed in Escherichia coli, and fusion proteins were purified by conventional chromatography techniques to near homogeneity. In anti-TFR(Fv)-PE40, the antigen-binding portion is placed at the amino terminus of the toxin, while in DT388-anti-TFR(Fv), it is at the carboxyl end of the toxin. Both these single-chain immunotoxins kill cells bearing the human transferrin receptors. However, anti-TFR(Fv)-PE40 was usually more active than DT388-anti-TFR(Fv), and in some cases it was several-hundred-fold more active. Anti-TFR(Fv)-PE40 was also more active on cell lines than a conjugate made by chemically coupling the native antibody to PE40, and in some cases it was more than 100-fold more active.

Direct correlation between DNA topoisomerase II activity and cytotoxicity in adriamycin-sensitive and -resistant P388 leukemia cell lines.

The relationship between DNA topoisomerase II activity and drug resistance was studied in cloned cell lines of Adriamycin (ADR)-sensitive and -resistant P388 leukemia; drug resistant P388/ADR/3 (clone 3) and P388/ADR/7 (clone 7) cells are 5- and 10-fold more resistant to ADR than the sensitive cell line P388/4 (Cancer Res., 46: 2978, 1986). Topoisomerase II catalytic activity in crude nuclear extracts was reduced in drug-resistant cells as determined qualitatively by decatenation of kDNA. Using the centrifugal method fo quantitative analysis, topoisomerase II catalytic activity (mean +/- SE) was 81 +/- 10 units/mg total nuclear protein in sensitive cells, 29 +/- 2 units/mg total nuclear protein in resistant clone 3 cells, and 16 +/- 2 units/mg total nuclear protein in resistant clone 7 cells; these differences were highly significant (P less than 0.005). Similarly, quantitative analysis of DNA cleavage activity using 3' 32P-end-labeled pBR322 restriction fragments showed that drug-stimulated topoisomerase II cleavage activity in nuclear extracts from sensitive cells was approximately 1.7- and 2.9-fold greater than that from resistant clone 3 and 7 cells, respectively. Western blot analysis of nuclear extracts from the three cell lines using antibody against the C-terminal half of recombinant-prepared human topoisomerase II polypeptide revealed reduced immunoreactivity of topoisomerase II protein in the drug-resistant cells. These data suggest that reduced topoisomerase II activity in resistant cells, which may represent quantitative reduction of the enzyme, may be another property contributing to multifactorial drug resistance in these cells.

Derivatives of 5,6-diphenylpyridazin-3-one: synthetic antimitotic agents which interact with plant and mammalian tubulin at a new drug-binding site.

A series of derivatives of 5,6-diphenylpyridazin-3-one (DPP) was examined for interactions with calf brain tubulin following the demonstration that many members of the class caused significant mitotic effects in intact animals, while others had activity against murine P388 leukemia. In L1210 cells several DPP derivatives caused a rise in the mitotic index which correlated well with the cytotoxicity of the drugs. Active DPP derivatives markedly stimulated tubulin-dependent guanosine triphosphate hydrolysis and inhibited tubulin polymerization or induced tubulin oligomer formation, depending on specific reaction conditions. These new agents, however, did not interfere with the binding to tubulin of radiolabeled colchicine, vinblastine, maytansine, or guanosine triphosphate. They thus appear to bind at a previously undescribed site on the tubulin molecule. Some DPP derivatives have significant herbicidal activity, causing mitotic disruption and a rise in the mitotic index in seedling root tissues. Although the DPP derivatives most toxic to plant tissues differ from those most active in inhibiting calf brain tubulin polymerization, virtually all active compounds bear a nitrile substituent at position 4 of the pyridazinone ring. Most active derivatives also bear substituents of varying structure at position 2 of this ring, but no clear structure-function pattern is apparent at this position. The phenyl rings in the most active herbicidal DPP derivatives either are unsubstituted or bear fluorine atoms. Derivatives with chlorine substituents have no detectable herbicidal activity. In contrast, interactions with calf brain tubulin are substantially enhanced if the phenyl rings bear chlorine substituents.

Growth-promoting activity of desmopressin in murine leukemia cells treated in vitro.

The synthetic vasopressin analogue, desmopressin (dDAVP), has been shown to influence membrane transport of melphalan in murine L5178Y lymphoblasts. Accordingly, the effect of dDAVP on the cytocidal activity of melphalan in L5178Y cells was evaluated. dDAVP did not affect the cytocidal activity of melphalan in these cells, but significantly affected the cloning efficiency of stationary phase or slowly dividing L5178Y cells over a range of concentrations. In particular, stationary phase cells showed an increase in cloning efficiency from 4.3 +/- 0.5% in control cells to 7.0 +/- 0.3% in cells treated with 25 nM dDAVP (P less than 0.001), whereas cells doubling every 26 h showed an increase from 10.8 +/- 1.2% in control cells to 21.0 +/- 2.0% in cells treated with 150 nM dDAVP (P less than 0.001). This phenomenon was associated with significant elevations of 1,2[3H] diacylglycerol after incubation with dDAVP for 9 min (P less than 0.01) and of total [3H]diacylglycerols after incubation for both 3 min (P less than 0.05) and 9 min (P less than 0.02). Within 10 s of treatment with 100 nM dDAVP, there was a marked decrease in the levels of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1-phosphate, but subsequently no change was observed for up to 9 min after treatment. We postulate that the increase of diacylglycerol content produced by dDAVP might be primarily from a phosphatidylcholine source and that the growth-promoting activity of desmopressin may be a consequence of activation of protein kinase C.

Characterization of the antigen (CAK1) recognized by monoclonal antibody K1 present on ovarian cancers and normal mesothelium.

K1 is a monoclonal antibody that reacts with a cell surface antigen (CAK1) found in human mesothelia and nonmucinous ovarian tumors. In this article, the characteristics of the CAK1 antigen have been examined in detail. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, we have found that the CAK1 signal is removed from the cell surface by treatment with proteases or by phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C, but not by neuraminidase and beta-galactosidase. The phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C-released material was found to contain the CAK1 antigen which was detected by a competition radioimmunoassay. The phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C-released CAK1 antigen was examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting and found to be approximately 40 kDa protein. The CAK1-K1 antibody complex remains on the cell surface and is poorly internalized, as shown by an acid wash immunofluorescence internalization assay. An immunotoxin composed of K1 and Lys-PE40, a mutant form of Pseudomonas exotoxin lacking the cell binding domain, was not cytotoxic, supporting the conclusion that the CAK1-K1 antibody complex is not internalized. However, an immunotoxin composed of K1 and native Pseudomonas exotoxin was selectively cytotoxic to cells expressing the CAK1 antigen. This cytotoxicity is due to the fact that domain I of Pseudomonas exotoxin promotes internalization of antigens which are not internalized or bound to antibody alone. Our results suggest that CAK1 is a polypeptide that is expressed on mesothelial cells and many ovarian cancers, and that K1 may be useful as a targeting agent for the immunotherapy of human ovarian cancer.

Antitumor effects of B3-PE and B3-LysPE40 in a nude mouse model of human breast cancer and the evaluation of B3-PE toxicity in monkeys.

B3 is a tumor-reactive monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds to a limited number of normal tissues. Immunotoxins made with B3 coupled to either Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE) or recombinant forms of PE with a deletion of the cell-binding domain (LysPE40) have been shown to cause complete tumor regression in nude mice bearing a rapidly growing A431 (L. H. Pai et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88: 3358-3362, 1991) human epidermoid carcinoma. In this study we show that an immunotoxin composed of mAb B3 when chemically coupled to LysPE40 (B3-LysPE40) led to complete regression of a slowly growing breast cancer, MCF-7, in nude mice when given i.v. every other day for five doses. mAb B3 coupled to native PE also produced significant regression of the MCF-7 tumor. The reactivity of mAb B3 was evaluated using an immunohistochemical method on the two responsive tumors, MCF-7 and A431, and compared with a typical human colon carcinoma specimen that has B3 antigen on its surface. The results showed that both A431 and MCF-7 xenograft tumors have similar reactivity to B3 when compared with the human colon carcinoma specimen. To evaluate the toxicity of B3-PE in primates, Cynomolgus monkeys received escalating doses of B3-PE i.v. on Days 1, 3, and 5. Based on antibody localization studies using frozen sections of normal human and monkey tissue, gastric, trachea, and bladder mucosal injury could have occurred. However, no clinical signs of injury or histological damage to these organs were seen at the doses administered. Chemical hepatitis due to PE was transient and well tolerated at doses up to 50 micrograms/kg for three doses. The lethal dose was about 100 micrograms/kg, and the cause of death was liver necrosis, as shown by necropsy. We conclude that mAb B3, when coupled to PE40 or PE, can produce strong antitumor activity in vivo. The similar level of reactivity of the B3 antibody in our tumor models with a surgical specimen of a human colon carcinoma and the toxicity study in monkeys indicate that therapeutic doses of B3-PE and B3-LysPE40 can be delivered without causing toxicity to normal organs that express B3 antigen. Although both B3-PE and B3-LysPE40 have antitumor activity in nude mice bearing a human xenograft, B3-LysPE40 is better tolerated and should be further evaluated as a therapeutic agent for cancer patients.

Multifactorial resistance to adriamycin: relationship of DNA repair, glutathione transferase activity, drug efflux, and P-glycoprotein in cloned cell lines of adriamycin-sensitive and -resistant P388 leukemia.

Cloned lines of Adriamycin (ADR)-sensitive and -resistant P388 leukemia have been established, including P388/ADR/3 and P388/ADR/7 that are 5- and 10-fold more resistant than the cloned sensitive cell line P388/4 (Cancer Res., 46: 2978, 1986). A time course of ADR-induced DNA double-strand breaks revealed that in sensitive P388/4 cells, evidence of DNA repair was noted 4 h after removal of drug, whereas in resistant clone 3 and 7 cells repair was observed 1 h after drug removal. The earlier onset of DNA repair was statistically significant (p = 0.0154 for clone 3 cells, and p = 0.0009 for clone 7 cells). By contrast, once the repair process was initiated, the rate of repair was similar for all three cell lines. The level of glutathione transferase activity was determined in whole cell extracts. Enzyme activity (mean +/- SE) in sensitive cells was 9.49 +/- 1.00 nmol/min/mg protein, that in resistant clone 3 cells was 13.36 +/- 1.03 nmol/min/mg, and that in clone 7 cells was 13.96 +/- 1.44 nmol/min/mg; the 1.44-fold increase in enzyme activity in resistant cells was statistically significant (p = 0.01). Further evidence of induction of glutathione transferase was provided by Northern blot analysis using a 32P-labeled cDNA for an anionic glutathione transferase, which demonstrated approximately a twofold increase in mRNA in resistant clone 7 cells. Western blot analysis with a polyvalent antibody against anionic glutathione transferase also revealed a proportionate increase in gene product in resistant cells. Dose-survival studies showed that ADR-resistant cells were cross-resistant to actinomycin D, daunorubicin, mitoxantrone, colchicine, and etoposide, but not to the alkylating agent melphalan; this finding provided evidence that these cells are multidrug resistant. Using a cDNA probe for P-glycoprotein, a phenotypic marker for multidrug resistance, Northern blot analysis showed an increase in the steady state level of mRNA of approximately twofold in resistant clone 3 and 7 cells. Southern analysis with the same cDNA probe showed no evidence of gene amplification or rearrangement. Western blot analysis with monoclonal C219 antibody demonstrated a distinct increase in P-glycoprotein in resistant cells. Efflux of Adriamycin as measured by the efflux rate constant was identical in all three cell lines. Furthermore, the metabolic inhibitors azide and dinitrophenol did not augment drug uptake in either sensitive or resistant cells. These findings suggest that despite the increase in P-glycoprotein, an active extrusion pump was not operational in these cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Insertion of constant region domains of human IgG1 into CD4-PE40 increases its plasma half-life.

CD4-PE40 is a recombinant toxin containing the binding domain of CD4 and a mutant form of Pseudomonas exotoxin A from which the cell binding domain has been removed. To increase the serum half-life of CD4-PE40, we have inserted various portions of the constant domain of human IgG1 into CD4-PE40. The constructs made include CD4-CH2-PE40, CD4-CH3-PE40, CD4-CH1-CH2-PE40 and CD4-CH2-CH3-PE40. The fusion proteins were expressed and purified from E. coli. Insertion of various domains from the constant region of IgG1 did not alter the cytotoxic activity of CD4-PE40; all these molecules were equally cytotoxic to cells expressing gp120 on their surface. However, there was a marked increase in the serum mean residence time of CD4-CH2-PE40 which was 115 min as compared to 47 min for CD4-PE40. Insertion of other domains also increased the half-life of CD4-PE40, however, CD4-CH2-PE40 was found to have the longest mean residence time in the circulation. One possible explanation for the increase in plasma half-life is diminished susceptibility of proteins to proteolysis. It was found that CD4-CH2-PE40 was much more resistant to proteolysis by trypsin than CD4-PE40. We proposed that insertion of the CH2 domain into CD4-PE40 covers up the protease sensitive sites in the molecule, thereby making the molecule less susceptible to degradation. The increase in size and reduced sensitivity to proteases could both be responsible for the increased plasma half-life of CD4-CH2-PE40.

Overproduction of fungal ribotoxin alpha-sarcin in Escherichia coli: generation of an active immunotoxin.

alpha-Sarcin is a ribonucleolytic protein secreted by the mold Aspergillus giganteus. DNA encoding alpha-sarcin was isolated from the host and cloned into T7 promoter based E. coli expression vectors. Using bacterial outer membrane protein A (OmpA) signal sequence, properly processed recombinant (re-) protein was secreted into the culture medium while in the absence of a signal sequence protein remained insoluble in the bacterial inclusion bodies. The re-alpha-sarcin was purified to homogeneity by simple chromatographic techniques both from the insoluble and soluble sources with respective yields of 40-50 microg/ml and 2-3 microg/ml. The re-ribotoxin was functionally as active as the native toxin and preserved its specificity. The re-alpha-sarcin was used in the construction of an active immunotoxin targeted at the human cancer cells overexpressing transferrin receptor (TFR).

Cytotoxic activity of ribonucleolytic toxin restrictocin-based chimeric toxins targeted to epidermal growth factor receptor.

Targeted toxins represent a new approach to specific cytocidal therapy. The ribonucleolytic protein toxin restrictocin is a potent protein synthesis inhibitor produced by the fungus Aspergillus restrictus. In the present study we have constructed two restrictocin based chimeric toxins where human transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) has been used as a ligand. TGF alpha is a single chain polypeptide, which binds to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and causes proliferation in a large number of cancers. The ligand has been separately fused either at the amino terminus or carboxyl terminus of restrictocin, giving rise to TGF alpha-restrictocin and restrictocin-TGF alpha respectively. The fusion proteins were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified from inclusion bodies by a denaturation-renaturation protocol. Both the chimeric toxins actively inhibited eukaryotic protein synthesis in a cell free in vitro translation assay system. These chimeric toxins selectively killed human epidermal growth factor receptor positive target cells in culture. Among the two proteins, restrictocin-TGF alpha was more active than TGF alpha-restrictocin on all the cell lines studied.

Expression of ribonucleolytic toxin restrictocin in Escherichia coli: purification and characterization.

Restrictocin is a toxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus restritus. The DNA coding for restrictocin was isolated from the host by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into a T7 promoter-based expression vector. The protein was overproduced in Escherichia coli and remained insoluble in the cell in the form of inclusion bodies. Recombinant restrictocin was purified in large amounts, by a simple denaturation-renaturation protocol involving a redox system, with typical yields of 45 mg/l of original culture. Restrictocin could be secreted into the bacterial medium using ompA, pelB and LTB signal sequences. Among the three signal sequences, ompA was found to be the most efficient in secreting the recombinant protein. The protein secreted into the extracellular medium was properly processed as evident by the amino-terminal sequencing. Recombinant restrictocin was readily purified to homogeneity from either the medium or inclusion bodies by simple chromatographic techniques and was found to be functionally as active as the native fungal protein in inhibiting the eukaryotic translation.

Morpholino derivatives of benzyl-benzodioxole, a study of structural requirements for drug interactions at the colchicine/podophyllotoxin binding site of tubulin.

We performed a structure-activity evaluation of the effects of methoxy substituents in the benzyl moiety of a series of morpholinyl Mannich base derivatives of 6-benzyl-1,3-benzodioxol-5-ol ("morpholino compounds") on the ability of these compounds to inhibit tubulin polymerization in vitro. Structurally these agents are most similar to the natural product podophyllotoxin and, like podophyllotoxin, they inhibited in vitro tubulin polymerization, tubulin-dependent GTP hydrolysis, and the binding of colchicine to tubulin. The benzyl ring (C ring) of these compounds appeared to be analogous to the trimethoxybenzene ring (E ring) of podophyllotoxin (with its methoxy substituents at the 3', 4' and 5' positions), but the morpholino compound superficially most similar to podophyllotoxin (with 3', 4' and 5' methoxy substituents) was the least active in the series. The most potent methoxy-substituted morpholino compounds bear these substituents either at the 2' and 4' positions (NSC 370277) or at the 2', 4' and 6' positions (NSC 381577). NSC 370277 and NSC 381577 were essentially identical in their inhibitory effects on tubulin polymerization, but the latter compound was considerably more effective as an inhibitor of the binding of colchicine to tubulin. The most active of the monomethoxy substituted compounds bore this group at position 4'. A number of compounds with alternative substituents at this position (in particular, alkyl-substituted amines) also had significant in vitro inhibitory effects on tubulin polymerization. Although the morpholino compounds appear to possess only limited cytotoxicity, these findings suggest possible modifications of the antimitotic benzyl-benzodioxole compounds described previously [Batra et al., Molec. Pharmac. 27, 94 (1985)] to enhance their antineoplastic activity.

Methylenedioxy-benzopyran analogs of podophyllotoxin, a new synthetic class of antimitotic agents that inhibit tubulin polymerization.

A new class of compounds was synthesized and, based on structural analogy to podophyllotoxin, examined as potential microtubule inhibitors and evaluated for in vivo antineoplastic activity. These agents are derivatives of methylenedioxy-benzopyran bearing a phenyl substituent at position 8. The hydrogen atoms at positions 7 and 8 are in a trans configuration, in contrast to the cis configuration of analogous hydrogen atoms at positions 1 and 2 in podophyllotoxin. Compounds with a variety of substituents at positions 6 and 7 were examined, as well as compounds with varying methoxy substituent patterns on the phenyl ring attached at position 8. The most active compounds inhibited tubulin polymerization at concentrations approximately stoichiometric with tubulin, competitively inhibited the binding of colchicine to tubulin, and caused mitotic arrest at cytotoxic drug concentrations. No structure-activity correlations were obvious for the substituents at positions 6 and 7, but optimal activity was only observed when the phenyl substituent at position 8 was a trimethoxybenzene ring identical to the analogous ring in podophyllotoxin (i.e. methoxy groups at positions 3', 4' and 5'). Despite their structural and functional similarities to podophyllotoxin, however, the methylenedioxy-benzopyran derivatives subtly differ from the natural product in their interaction with tubulin, for they stimulated rather than inhibited tubulin-dependent GTP hydrolysis.

Effect of cord factor, a toxic glycolipid from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, on mouse liver drug metabolizing enzymes.

Cord factor (a mycobacterial toxin) treatment of mice for 72 hr resulted in decreased activities of hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes. The toxin treated animals exhibited reduced levels of liver cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome b5, accompanied by significant lowering of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase activities. The hepatic activities of aminopyrine N-demethylase and aniline hydroxylase were diminished, while liver cytosolic glutathione S-transferase activity was inhibited in mice receiving the toxin. Earlier studies from this laboratory (J. K. Batra, Ph.D. Thesis, Delhi University, India, 1982) on the effects of experimental tuberculosis on hepatic drug metabolism revealed changes similar to the presently reported influence of cord factor on mouse liver microsomal monooxygenases. Thus, the action of cord factor (on hepatic drug metabolism) largely mimics the effects of tuberculosis infection.

Drug metabolism in experimental tuberculosis: I. Changes in hepatic and pulmonary monooxygenase activities due to infection.

Pulmonary and hepatic drug metabolizing enzyme activities of tuberculous guinea pigs were examined in detail. Experimental tuberculosis resulted in enlargement of liver and lung accompanied by decreased microsomal cytosolic protein. The tuberculosis infection resulted in decreased hepatic contents of cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome b5 NADPH-cytochrome C reductase in lung and liver. A parallel decrease in the microsomal mixed function oxidases (MFO) was observed in liver and lung of tuberculous guinea pigs. The hepatic and pulmonary activities of UDP-glucuronyl transferase were elevated in the infected animals. Glutathione S-transferase activity exhibited an increase in liver and decrease in the lung of tuberculous guinea pigs. Some of the changes observed in monooxygenase in tuberculosis were caused by reduced food consumption. In general, tuberculosis infection can be viewed to lower drug metabolizing capacity of the animal, probably due to the damage and disturbed membrane integrity.

Benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity in human bronchial mucus.

Sputum collected from patients with respiratory diseases were examined for presence of benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase (BPH) activity. The human bronchial mucus used in these studies had significant capability to metabolize benzo(a)pyrene. Clarification of the sputum by agents such as N-acetylcysteine or pancreatin in presence of antibiotics was found to be essential for the detection of BPH activity. In vitro incubation of the clarified human bronchial mucus with benzoflavone caused inhibition, while 7,8-dimethyl-benzanthracene induced BPH enzyme activity.

Construction, expression and characterization of chimaeric toxins containing the ribonucleolytic toxin restrictocin: intracellular mechanism of action.

Restrictocin is a ribonucleolytic toxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus restrictus. Two chimaeric toxins containing restrictocin directed at the human transferrin receptor have been constructed. Anti-TFR(scFv)-restrictocin is encoded by a gene produced by fusing the DNA encoding a single-chain antigen-combining region (scFv) of a monoclonal antibody, directed at the human transferrin receptor, at the 5' end of that encoding restrictocin. The other chimaeric toxin, restrictocin-anti-TFR(scFv), is encoded by a gene fusion containing the DNA encoding the single-chain antigen-combining region of antibody to human transferrin receptor at the 3' end of the DNA encoding restrictocin. These gene fusions were expressed in Escherichia coli, and fusion proteins purified from the inclusion bodies by simple chromatography techniques to near-homogeneity. The two chimaeric toxins were found to be equally active in inhibiting protein synthesis in a cell-free in vitro translation assay system. The chimaeric toxins were selectively toxic to the target cells in culture with potent cytotoxic activities. However, restrictocin-anti-TFR(scFv) was more active than anti-TFR(scFv)-restrictocin on all cell lines studied. By using protease and metabolic inhibitors, it can be shown that, to manifest their cytotoxic activity, the restrictocin-containing chimaeric toxins need to be proteolytically processed intracellularly and the free toxin or a fragment thereof thus generated is translocated to the target via a route involving the Golgi apparatus.

Generation of active immunotoxins containing recombinant restrictocin.

Restrictocin, a toxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus restrictus, is a potent inhibitor of eukaryotic protein synthesis. Recombinant restrictocin was made in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity in large amounts. The recombinant protein was found to be poorly immunogenic in mice with low toxicity, when injected intraperitoneally. Two immunotoxins were constructed by coupling the recombinant restrictocin to an antibody to the human transferrin receptor, using a cleavable and a stable linkage. The immunotoxins so generated showed specific cytotoxic activity toward receptor bearing cells in tissue culture. Immunotoxin with a cleavable linkage, however, was more active than that containing a stable linkage. Restrictocin appears to be a promising candidate to be developed as a chimeric toxin for targeted therapy.