cholera toxin B subunit

The **cholera toxin B subunit** is the non-toxic, receptor-binding component of cholera toxin from *Vibrio cholerae*. Structurally, it forms a homopentamer, each subunit ~11 kDa, which binds tightly to the ganglioside GM1 on cell surfaces, facilitating toxin uptake. Unlike the toxic A subunit, the B subunit alone does not induce toxicity or adenylate cyclase activation. It is used in the licensed cholera vaccine Dukoral and is being explored as an immunomodulatory agent and mucosal vaccine adjuvant. CTB stimulates strong mucosal and systemic immune responses, induces immunotolerance, and has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties in preclinical models. CTB is also widely used as a neuronal tracer due to its efficient retrograde transport and as a probe for studying lipid rafts and membrane trafficking in cell biology[1][3][4][5].

Brand names

Dukoral

Other names

CTBCTxBcholera toxin Brecombinant cholera toxin B subunitrCTB