NCIt definition : A recombinant protein that inactivates the ribosome with potential antineoplastic
and immunomodulating activities. Aviscumine binds to the cell surface sialyltransferase
CD75 and is internalized; intracellularly, aviscumine cleaves an adenine-specific
N-glycosidic bond on the 28S ribosomal subunit, which may result in tumor cell apoptosis.
This agent has also been shown to activate natural killer (NK) cells, induce cytokine
receptor expression, and stimulate the release of cytokines. CD75 is expressed on
mature B-cells and subsets of T-cells and erythrocytes.;