Botulinum Neurotoxin (BoNT) Resource Guide

BoNT Antibodies

Antibody Providers   Antibodies in Current Research   Antitoxins   Synthetic Antibodies   Vaccines   Vaccine Development Strategies

Antibody Providers

Development of monoclonal and polyclonal antibody-based botulinum neurotoxin vaccines and antitoxins for prophylaxis and postexposure treatment is a high biodefense priority. BoNT antibodies for serotypes A to F isolated from a number of organisms are commercially available. Antitoxins are currently available in the United States from the CDC. Vaccines, including monovalent, trivalent, pentavalent, and heptavalent toxoids are under development.

• Abcam Antibodies
  • BoNT/A Monoclonal: Toxoid Antibody [KBA468] (HRP) (ab22507) | Toxoid Antibody [230F9] (ab40786)
  • BoNT/A Polyclonal: Toxoid Antibody (ab20641) | Toxoid Antibody (ab20436) | Toxoid Antibody (ab27163)
  • BoNT/B Monoclonal: Toxoid Antibody [KBB36] (ab22037) | Toxoid Antibody [KBB18] (HRP) (ab20979)
  • BoNT/B Polyclonal: Toxin B Antibody (ab20899) | Toxin B Antibody (ab9195) | Toxoid Antibody (ab27164)
  • BoNT/C Polyclonal: Toxoid Antibody (ab27165)
  • BoNT/D Monoclonal: Toxoid Antibody [5131] (ab13614) | Toxoid Antibody [KB21] (ab2029) | Toxoid Antibody [KB22] (ab2030) | Toxoid Antibody [KB23] (HRP) (ab2031)
  • BoNT/D Polyclonal: Toxoid Antibody (ab27166) | Toxoid Antibody (ab2032)
  • BoNT/E Monoclonal: Toxoid Antibody [BE2] (ab20917) | Toxoid Antibody [BE3] (ab20311) | Toxoid Antibody [KBE169] (ab22041) | Toxoid Antibody [KBE42] (HRP) (ab20980) | Toxoid Antibody [209F2] (ab40787)
  • BoNT/E Polyclonal: Toxoid Antibody (ab27167)
  • BoNT/F Polyclonal: Toxoid Antibody (ab27168)
• Accurate Chemical & Scientific Corporation
• Advanced ImmunoChemical Inc.
  • BoNT/D Monoclonal: Toxoid Antibody: KB21, KB22, KB23
  • BoNT/D Polyclonal: Toxoid Antibody
  • BoNT/E Monoclonal: Toxoid Antibody: BE2, BE3
• Antibody Shop
  • BoNT/E Monoclonal: Anti Clostridium botulinum E toxoid (HAV 001-02) 
  • BoNT/E Monoclonal: Anti Clostridium botulinum E toxoid (HAV 001-06) 
• Biodesign International: Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies for Types A, B, D, E
• HyTest Ltd.
  • BoNT/A Monoclonal: Toxoid Antibody: KBA211, KBA468
  • BoNT/B Monoclonal: Toxoid Antibody: KBB18, KBB36, KBB27
  • BoNT/D Monoclonal: Toxoid Antibody: KB21, KB22, KB23
  • BoNT/D Polyclonal: Toxoid Antibody
  • BoNT/E Monoclonal: Toxoid Antibody: BE2, BE3, KBE144, KBE169, KBE42
• IBT: Anti-Clostridium botulinum D Toxoid
• Immunology Consultants Laboratory
  • Horse Anti-Clostridium botulinum Toxin B
• Linscott Directory of Immunological and Biological Reagents: Botulinum Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies
• Metabiologics Inc.
  • Polyclonal Rabbit IgG Specific Antibodies for Serotypes A, B, C, E, F
• OEM Concepts: Type D
• Statens Serum Institut (SSI): Polyclonal Antibodies (Antisera) for Botulinum Toxins A, B, C, D, E, F
• Synaptic Systems Antibodies: Botulinum neurotoxin targets
  • BoNT/A and BoNT/E targets: SNAP 25
  • BoNT/C1 target: Syntaxin 1
  • BoNT/B target: Synaptobrevin-1/VAMP-1

Antibodies in Current Research

Antibodies reported in current research involving the study of antibodies to neutralize botulinum neurotoxins are presented with associated study information including antibody name, neutralizing activity, reactive component, experimental applications, immunoglobulin type, immunoglobulin isotype and publication. Additional details are presented here describing these key terms.

Neutralizing Activity
Yes = the antibody neutralizes specified serotype neurotoxin in vivo or in vitro
No = the antibody does not neutralize specified serotype neurotoxin
Blank, Null = no data available

Reactive Component (the component of the botulinum neurotoxin that binds to the antibody)
HA1, HA2, or HA3b = subcomponent of hemagglutinin
Hc = heavy chain
HC or H2 = C-terminal of heavy chain
HN or H1 = N-terminal of heavy chain
Lc = light chain

Experimental Applications
DB = Dot Blotting
ELISA = Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay
IP = Immunoprecipitation
WB = Western Blotting or Immunoblotting

Immunoglobulin Type
monoclonal
polyclonal

Immunoglobulin Isotype
IgG1 or IgG2 = subclass of IgG
k = kappa
scFv = single chain variable fragment

Antitoxins

Currently, the main treatment for human botulism is the administration of botulinum neurotoxin antitoxin to neutralize the unbound circulating toxin. Antitoxin treatment is most effective in reducing the severity of symptoms if administered in the first 24 hours post exposure. Skin tests for horse serum sensitivity prior to treatment are needed for the equine derived antitoxins.

Therapeutic and prophylactic immunobiologics products distributed by the CDC can be found at the CDC Drug Service Formulary. Physicians can contact the CDC for antitoxins at: 770-488-7100 (24-hour emergency number). Human-derived botulism immune globulin (BIG) for the treatment of infant botulism is available by contacting the California Department of Health Services (24-hour telephone: 510-540-2646). To learn more, visit the California Department of Health Services Infant Botulism Treatment & Prevention Program or view the Infant Botulism Chapter from the Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Disease, 4th Edition.

Synthetic Antibodies

Synthetic antibodies are obtained from phage display, a new technique used to develop antibodies with target-recognition qualities of natural antibodies. Single-chain variable fragment (scFv) phage antibodies are presented with PubMed ID and Protein Accession.

Vaccines

Botulism vaccine work began in the 1940s. Individuals considered to be at risk of exposure to botulism, such as laboratory and military personnel, are currently vaccinated. At this time, a pentavalent (A-E) BoNT toxoid vaccine and a monovalent (F) vaccine are available under Investigational New Drugs (IND) status from the CDC. Toxoid and recombinant botulinum vaccines are under development with the aim of providing protection against the seven serotypes of botulism.

Vaccine Development Strategies

Current research efforts are focused on the production of nontoxic recombinant proteins or vectored vaccines to obtain recombinant vaccines. The vaccine development strategies listed below are geared to eliminate the need to treat BoNT toxin with formalin and allow a high level of toxin production (Dertzbaugh MT and MW West 1996, PMID: 9014296).

• DNA-based Vaccines:

  • Clayton J and Middlebrook JL 2000: Vaccination of mice with DNA encoding a large fragment of botulinum neurotoxin serotype A
  • Shyu RH et al. 2000: DNA vaccination using the fragment C of botulinum neurotoxin type A provided protective immunity in mice  

• Recombinant Heavy Chain (Hc) Proteins:

  • Arimitsu H et al. 2004: Vaccination with recombinant whole heavy chain fragments of Clostridium botulinum Type C and D neurotoxins  
  • Bryne MP et al. 2000: Development of vaccines for prevention of botulism
  • Clayton MA et al. 1995: Protective vaccination with a recombinant fragment of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin serotype A expressed from a synthetic gene in Escherichia coli  

• Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) Virus Vector System:

  • Lee JS et al. 2001: Candidate Vaccine against Botulinum Neurotoxin Serotype A Derived from a Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) Virus Vector System