Chemicals and Drugs

Tetanus Toxin

Protein synthesized by CLOSTRIDIUM TETANI as a single chain of ~150 kDa with 35% sequence identity to BOTULINUM TOXIN that is cleaved to a light and a heavy chain that are linked by a single disulfide bond. Tetanolysin is the hemolytic and tetanospasmin is the neurotoxic principle. The toxin causes disruption of the inhibitory mechanisms of the CNS, thus permitting uncontrolled nervous activity, leading to fatal CONVULSIONS.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Protein synthesized by CLOSTRIDIUM TETANI as a single chain of ~150 kDa with 35% sequence identity to BOTULINUM TOXIN that is cleaved to a light and a heavy chain that are linked by a single disulfide bond. Tetanolysin is the hemolytic and tetanospasmin is the neurotoxic principle. The toxin causes disruption of the inhibitory mechanisms of the CNS, thus permitting uncontrolled nervous activity, leading to fatal CONVULSIONS.

MeSH Record

Classification

Related Concepts

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Drug Class

Pharmacological Action

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See Also

MeSH Record

Synonyms

7 entry terms
  • Clostridium tetani Toxin
  • Tetanus Toxins
  • Toxin, Clostridium tetani
  • Toxin, Tetanus
  • Toxins, Tetanus
  • Clostridial Neurotoxin
  • Neurotoxin, Clostridial

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

27 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings administration & dosage, adverse effects, agonists, analysis, antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemical synthesis, chemistry, classification, economics, genetics, history, immunology, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, physiology, poisoning, radiation effects, standards, supply & distribution, therapeutic use, toxicity, urine.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

/antag permitted but consider also TETANUS ANTITOXIN

MeSH Record

History Note

65

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WC 320

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Tetanus Toxin. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D013744. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D013744
  2. Tetanus Toxin. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetanus_toxin
  3. Tetanus Toxin. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q411288