Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Toxic Action – Serie

Bacteria and plants produce powerful toxins that can cause a variety of diseases, some of which are lethal for many animal species. The mechanisms of action are common to many of these toxins and represent general pathways for the interaction of a number of biomolecules with target cells, such as binding to specific surface receptors, internalization and translocation across the cell membrane, and interaction with intracellular components. Because of their potency in killing eukaryotic cells, they have been used in the development of novel agents for targeted immunotherapy, and have been termed 'chimeric toxins'.The elucidation of the mechanism of action of protein toxins remains a complex problem, but understanding these mechanisms will open new avenues for the design of novel therapies for the treatment of toxin-related diseases. In Chimeric Toxins: Mechanisms of Action and Therapeutic Applications, the authors review the structure, function and mechanisms of toxic action and investigate their therapeutic applications in medicine, including approaches used to design, express and purify these molecules as well as discussing their characteristics and in vivo efficacy.

Pore-forming proteins and peptides play a central role in bacterial pathogenesis, the immune response, defense from venomous attack, and innate immunity. These proteins attack and eliminate other organisms by punching an aqueous channel through their membranes, which disrupts appropriate cell function. The discovery of this cellular interaction has led to an abundance of scientific, medical, and commercial applications with unlimited potential.Pore-forming Peptides and Protein Toxins describes how natural and synthetic peptides and toxins form pores and ionic channels that cause cell membrane collapse and cell death. Divided into two parts on pore-forming proteins and pore-forming peptides, each chapter reviews the normal physiological cellular structure and function, discusses the interference of toxins with this process, and considers the use of specific toxins in research. Written by researchers from around the world, the text includes such topics as the channel-forming properties of Helicobacter pylori and the role of amyloid peptide channels in the development of amyloid diseases.This authoritative volume provides a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the basic principles and cellular mechanisms of the action of toxins and their potential use as research tools. It is an essential work for researchers and students in the fields of biochemistry, toxicology, biophysics, and pharmaceutical science.

Of the multitude of toxins known and the enormous variety of effects they cause, of particular interest are those that influence signal transduction. Intercellular communication by chemical signals is essential for the functioning of multicellular organisms. Many toxins exert their biological effects by interfering with the signal transduction initiated by these chemicals (hormones, transmitters, growth factors, and other mediators). Up-to-date information is provided by outstanding experts, who discuss the molecular mechanisms involved in the action of many toxins, as well as the use of toxins as informative tools with which to study signal transduction and their potential therapeutic usage.This volume contains useful information for the experimentalist interested in toxins or in signal transduction, as well as for the reader interested in gaining a comprehensive overview of the field.The Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Toxin Action series will include monographs on signal transduction, secretory systems, cytoskeleton, selective neurotoxicity of natural, recombinant and chimeric toxins giving a broader emphasis on the mechanism of action, structure-function relationship, and use of toxins as research tools and their therapeutic applications.