Tuesday July 13, 1999 - Question 4

Which of the following statements about the toxicity of amatoxins is correct?

A. The main sites of toxicity from amatoxins are the cells of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidneys.

B. Amatoxins’ toxicity is due to their ability to bind to the cellular membranes of hepatocytes, irreversibly polymerize actin, and impair cell membrane function.

C. Phallotoxins inhibit the activity of RNA polymerase II.

D. Cells with high rates of protein synthesis appear to have an intrinsic immunity to amatoxin toxicity.

E. Because of their high affinity for gastrointestinal epithelium, virotoxins are responsible for the initial GI symptoms seen in cyclopeptide exposures.
 

Discussion