B-B10 (anti-CD25)-saporin immunotoxin--a possible tool in graft-versus-host disease treatment.

An immunotoxin containing the B-B10 MoAb, directed against the CD25 determinant, and the ribosome-inactivating protein saporin, inhibits 3H-TdR incorporation in phytohemagglutin, allogeneic-stimulated lymphocytes (primary and secondary mixed-lymphocyte reaction), and in an alloreactive T cell clone. A lower degree of inhibition was obtained with the B-B10 MoAb, which is known to inhibit IL-2 activity, as well as with the unconjugated compounds. These results suggest that the in vivo administration of the conjugate might be a more effective tool in the treatment of patients affected by graft-versus-host disease than B-B10 alone, by inducing an efficient killing of allogeneic-reacting T lymphocytes.