Biomaterial Database

Insulin-cholera toxin binding unit conjugate: a hybrid molecule with insulin biological activity and cholera toxin binding specificity. 1983

R A Roth, and B Maddux

The polypeptide hormone insulin and the binding unit of cholera toxin (CTB) were coupled via a disulfide bond. This hybrid molecule had 1/30 the ability of native insulin to bind to the insulin receptor and 1/30 the biological activity of native insulin in H35 rat hepatoma cells and rat adipocytes. Thus, in these two cell types that are very sensitive to insulin, the biological activity of the hybrid molecule was as predicted on the basis of the ability of the molecule to interact with the insulin receptor. In contrast, in HTC rat hepatoma cells and rat thymocytes, two poorly responsive cell types, the insulin-CTB conjugate had 1/3 the biological activity of native insulin, a value 10 times greater than its insulin receptor binding potency. This increased activity of the conjugate did not appear to be due to cholera toxin in the preparation, since a control of uncoupled CTB had no biological activity. Furthermore, native cholera toxin increased intracellular levels of cAMP by 20-fold, whereas the conjugate had no effect on cAMP levels. The CTB moiety did, however, contribute to the biological activity of the conjugate, since the activity of the hybrid molecule, like cholera toxin, was inhibited by gangliosides, whereas the activity of native insulin was not. Finally, the binding to thymocytes of insulin-CTB conjugate, but not insulin, was inhibited by gangliosides. Thus, a hybrid hormone molecule has been constructed which has insulin-like biological activity with the receptor specificity of cholera toxin in poorly responsive cells.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007328	Insulin	A 51-amino acid pancreatic hormone that plays a major role in the regulation of glucose metabolism, directly by suppressing endogenous glucose production (GLYCOGENOLYSIS; GLUCONEOGENESIS) and indirectly by suppressing GLUCAGON secretion and LIPOLYSIS. Native insulin is a globular protein comprised of a zinc-coordinated hexamer. Each insulin monomer containing two chains, A (21 residues) and B (30 residues), linked by two disulfide bonds. Insulin is used as a drug to control insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 1).	Iletin,Insulin A Chain,Insulin B Chain,Insulin, Regular,Novolin,Sodium Insulin,Soluble Insulin,Chain, Insulin B,Insulin, Sodium,Insulin, Soluble,Regular Insulin
D011956	Receptors, Cell Surface	Cell surface proteins that bind signalling molecules external to the cell with high affinity and convert this extracellular event into one or more intracellular signals that alter the behavior of the target cell (From Alberts, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2nd ed, pp693-5). Cell surface receptors, unlike enzymes, do not chemically alter their ligands.	Cell Surface Receptor,Cell Surface Receptors,Hormone Receptors, Cell Surface,Receptors, Endogenous Substances,Cell Surface Hormone Receptors,Endogenous Substances Receptors,Receptor, Cell Surface,Surface Receptor, Cell
D011971	Receptors, Immunologic	Cell surface molecules on cells of the immune system that specifically bind surface molecules or messenger molecules and trigger changes in the behavior of cells. Although these receptors were first identified in the immune system, many have important functions elsewhere.	Immunologic Receptors,Immunologic Receptor,Immunological Receptors,Receptor, Immunologic,Receptors, Immunological
D011972	Receptor, Insulin	A cell surface receptor for INSULIN. It comprises a tetramer of two alpha and two beta subunits which are derived from cleavage of a single precursor protein. The receptor contains an intrinsic TYROSINE KINASE domain that is located within the beta subunit. Activation of the receptor by INSULIN results in numerous metabolic changes including increased uptake of GLUCOSE into the liver, muscle, and ADIPOSE TISSUE.	Insulin Receptor,Insulin Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinase,Insulin Receptor alpha Subunit,Insulin Receptor beta Subunit,Insulin Receptor alpha Chain,Insulin Receptor beta Chain,Insulin-Dependent Tyrosine Protein Kinase,Receptors, Insulin,Insulin Receptor Protein Tyrosine Kinase,Insulin Receptors
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D002772	Cholera Toxin	An ENTEROTOXIN from VIBRIO CHOLERAE. It consists of two major protomers, the heavy (H) or A subunit and the B protomer which consists of 5 light (L) or B subunits. The catalytic A subunit is proteolytically cleaved into fragments A1 and A2. The A1 fragment is a MONO(ADP-RIBOSE) TRANSFERASE. The B protomer binds cholera toxin to intestinal epithelial cells and facilitates the uptake of the A1 fragment. The A1 catalyzed transfer of ADP-RIBOSE to the alpha subunits of heterotrimeric G PROTEINS activates the production of CYCLIC AMP. Increased levels of cyclic AMP are thought to modulate release of fluid and electrolytes from intestinal crypt cells.	Cholera Toxin A,Cholera Toxin B,Cholera Toxin Protomer A,Cholera Toxin Protomer B,Cholera Toxin Subunit A,Cholera Toxin Subunit B,Choleragen,Choleragenoid,Cholera Enterotoxin CT,Cholera Exotoxin,Cholera Toxin A Subunit,Cholera Toxin B Subunit,Procholeragenoid,Enterotoxin CT, Cholera,Exotoxin, Cholera,Toxin A, Cholera,Toxin B, Cholera,Toxin, Cholera
D005677	G(M1) Ganglioside	A specific monosialoganglioside that accumulates abnormally within the nervous system due to a deficiency of GM1-b-galactosidase, resulting in GM1 gangliosidosis.	GM1 Ganglioside,Monosialosyl Tetraglycosyl Ceramide,GM1a Monosialoganglioside,Ceramide, Monosialosyl Tetraglycosyl,Ganglioside, GM1,Monosialoganglioside, GM1a,Tetraglycosyl Ceramide, Monosialosyl
D005732	Gangliosides	A subclass of ACIDIC GLYCOSPHINGOLIPIDS. They contain one or more sialic acid (N-ACETYLNEURAMINIC ACID) residues. Using the Svennerholm system of abbrevations, gangliosides are designated G for ganglioside, plus subscript M, D, or T for mono-, di-, or trisialo, respectively, the subscript letter being followed by a subscript arabic numeral to indicated sequence of migration in thin-layer chromatograms. (From Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1997)	Ganglioside,Sialoglycosphingolipids
D005947	Glucose	A primary source of energy for living organisms. It is naturally occurring and is found in fruits and other parts of plants in its free state. It is used therapeutically in fluid and nutrient replacement.	Dextrose,Anhydrous Dextrose,D-Glucose,Glucose Monohydrate,Glucose, (DL)-Isomer,Glucose, (alpha-D)-Isomer,Glucose, (beta-D)-Isomer,D Glucose,Dextrose, Anhydrous,Monohydrate, Glucose
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man