background: light chain (lc) and heavy chain carboxyterminal subdomain (hcc) fragments are the most important parts of tetanus neurotoxin (tent) which play key roles in toxicity and binding of tent, respectively. in the present study, these two fragments were cloned and expressed in a prokaryotic system and their identity was confirmed using anti-tent specific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodi...

We have studied the effects of tetanus toxin and botulinus toxin A on neurotransmitter release in the Retzius-->P-cell synapse of the leech and exploited the unique properties of this system, which allow for combined physiological and biochemical analyses in single-cell pairs. The sequences of Hirudo medicinalis synaptobrevin and synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25), deduced by c...

Local tetanus limited to one leg was studied in cats after intramuscular injection of tetanus toxin. 1. The electric and mechanical response of the affected muscle after a single stimulus to the intact sensory-motor nerve is greater in amplitude and duration than the response of the corresponding muscle of the unaffected leg (Fig. 1). 2. This augmented response of the muscle is associated with ...

In the USA, the potency of commercially prepared equine tetanus antitoxin is determined by the method outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 9, Part 113.451. In the current test, commercial equine tetanus antitoxin is tested by a toxin neutralization test in guinea pigs. The in vivo test measures antitoxin content through effectiveness of protection of guinea pigs injected with dilu...

Insect ecdysis is a precisely coordinated series of behavioral and hormonal events that occur at the end of each molt. A great deal is known about the hormonal events that underlie this process, although less is known about the neuronal circuitry involved. In this study we identified two populations of neurons that are required for larval and adult ecdyses in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogas...

tetanus is a disease caused by tetanus toxin, a potent inhibitor for the release of inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system that causes spastic paralysis. fragment c (52 kd) of this toxin is responsible for binding to the neuronal membrane. for this reason, and also its non toxigenic and immunogenic nature, this fragment might be ideal for new vaccine development. presently, w...

Botulinum neurotoxins and tetanus are the strongest known toxins that cause neuroparalytic syndromes in botulism tetanus. This review aimed to systematize scientific data on structures mechanism of actions botulinum neurotoxins. proteins containing functional domains responsible for receptor binding, transmembrane translocation, proteolytic cleavage required exocytosis synaptic vesicles release...

Bead-based assay systems offer the possibility of measuring several specific antibodies in one sample simultaneously. This study evaluated a vaccine panel of a multianalyte system that measures antibodies to tetanus toxin, diphtheria toxin, and pertussis toxin (PT) from Bordetella pertussis. The antibody concentrations of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) to PT, tetanus toxin, and diphtheria toxin w...

The molecular requirements for amylase release and the intracellular effects of botulinum A toxin and tetanus toxin on amylase release were investigated using rat pancreatic acinar cells permeabilized with streptolysin O. Micromolar concentrations of free Ca2+ evoked amylase release from these cells. Maximal release was observed in the presence of 30 microM free Ca2+. Ca(2+)-stimulated, but not...

We used the knockout mice lacking gangliosides and evaluated their response to tetanus and botulinum toxins. We found that tetanus toxin and botulinum type A or B toxin was less toxic in the knockout mice. We conclude that the toxins bind to the gangliosides on the synapses in the initial step of intoxication prior to penetration of the toxins into the neural cells.