gastrin immunotoxin

An immunotoxin containing an epitope of human gastrin conjugated to diphtheria toxin, with antineoplastic activity. The gastrin epitope in this vaccine is chemically identical or similar to the endogenous gastrin-17 (G-17), a 17-amino acid peptide hormone that stimulates secretion of gastric acid by the stomach. Diphtheria toxin inhibits protein synthesis via modifying translation elongation factor 2 (EF-2). Vaccination with this immunotoxin may elicit production of antibodies against gastrinoma cells overexpressing gastrin, in addition to the toxic effects on protein synthesis exerted by the diphtheria toxin moiety.