Dextran sulfate restores endotoxin detectability in human serum
Claudia Schildböck, Denisa Cont, Jens Hartmann, Stephan Harm · 2026
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Description
Claudia Schildböck and colleagues show in 2026 that a simple additive can restore toxin testing in human blood serum. Tests for bacterial toxins often fail in serum because blood proteins hide the toxin from the assay. The team screened five candidate additives with growth tests and a standard toxin assay. One compound, dextran sulfate, stood out for freeing the toxin signal.
At a tuned dose, dextran sulfate brought toxin recovery back into the accepted range for three kinds of bacteria. Its results matched heparin, the older additive, while avoiding animal-sourced material. Batch quality was steadier and cost was lower as well. The finding gives labs a defined, non-animal option for more reliable toxin checks in blood.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Claudia Schildböck, Denisa Cont, Jens Hartmann, Stephan Harm |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 41993 |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |