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PURIFICATION AND MOLECULAR WEIGHT DETERMINATION OF CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM TYPE E TOXIN.

Gerwing, Julia (The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada), Claude E. Dolman, M. E. Reichmann, and Hardial S. Bains. Purification and molecular weight determination of Clostridium botulinum type E toxin. J. Bacteriol. 88:216-219. 1964.-A method was developed whereby type E botulinus toxin can be obtained in a highly purified state by elution through acidified diethylaminoethyl-cellulose columns. The material thus isolated appears to be electrophoretically and ultracentrifugally homogeneous. A molecular weight of 18,600 was calculated for the toxin.

Antitoxins↗

Entry of the toxic proteins abrin, modeccin, ricin, and diphtheria toxin into cells. II. Effect of pH, metabolic inhibitors, and ionophores and evidence for toxin penetration from endocytotic vesicles.

The toxicity of abrin, modeccin, and ricin to Vero cells was maximal at neutral and slightly alkaline pH, and it was strongly reduced at pH 6.0 and below. Diphtheria toxin was most toxic at low pH. Binding and endocytosis of abrin, modeccin, and ricin did not vary much within the pH range tested. High concentrations of the carboxylic ionophore Br-X-537A, protected against all four toxins. Combined treatment of cells with an inhibitor of glycolysis and an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation strongly inhibited endocytosis of toxins and protected against intoxication. The protective effect of Ca2+ deprivation, of pH 6.0, and of metabolic inhibitors disappeared soon after transfer of the cells to normal medium, whereas the protective effect of Br-X-537A and of trifluoperazine disappeared slowly. The decay rate of the protection by NH4Cl and by the ionophore A23187 differed with the different toxins. Cells exposed to abrin, modeccin, and ricin under protective conditions which did not inhibit endocytosis of the toxins (Ca2+ deprivation, pH 6.0, Br-X-537A), and then treated with antitoxins to inactivate extracellular toxin, were intoxicated when the protection was released. In contrast, cells exposed to toxins while endocytosis was arrested by treatment with metabolic inhibitors were not intoxicated when antitoxins were added and the metabolic inhibitors removed. Modeccin and diphtheria toxin endocytosed in the presence of trifluoperazine and NH4Cl were unable to intoxicate cells. The possibility that endocytosis is a step in the normal entry route of the toxins is discussed.

Abrin↗

Cytotoxic and cytotonic factors produced by Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Campylobacter laridis.

Complete toxigenicity studies were performed on 341 strains of Campylobacter spp., including 23 nonhuman isolates. Toxin profiles based on both cytotonic and cytotoxic factors were determined after analyzing responses in Vero, HeLa, CHO and Y-1 cells. Suckling mouse assays were consistently negative for all culture filtrates tested. Toxin-producing strains were frequently encountered among both the human and nonhuman strains of Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, and C. laridis investigated. Strains isolated from outbreaks demonstrated parallels in serotype, biotype, and toxigenicity profile, although no clear association could be demonstrated. Biphasic culture conditions conducive to the production of both toxic factors were delineated for the propagation of test Campylobacter strains. Cytotonic effects of Campylobacter culture filtrates were determined in Vero and CHO cells, and cyclic AMP accumulation in cells exposed to these culture filtrates was compared with that in cells exposed to reference toxigenic strains of Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli. Partial neutralization of C. jejuni enterotoxin was demonstrated by using antitoxins to cholera toxin and E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin. No neutralization of C. jejuni cytotoxin could be achieved by using antitoxins to either Clostridium difficile cytotoxin or E. coli Verotoxin (0157:H7).

Animals↗

[Enzyme immunoassay of immune complexes formed in vitro via interactions of serum antibodies with diphtheria toxin].

The interaction of diphtheria toxin with serum antitoxin antibodies has been studied by enzyme immunoassay at variable ratios of the original amounts of the antigen and antibodies in the reaction mixture. Under the conditions of excess of the antibodies, the free toxin is not detected, and free antibodies account for 68 to 98% of the original amount. Under the conditions of excess of the toxin, free antibodies account for 2 to 7% of the original amount and free toxin, for 80-100% of its original level. Under the conditions where the toxin is taken in excess, and the amounts of the toxin and the antibodies are equivalent, formed immune complexes are regularly detected in the reaction mixtures. In these complexes, part of the epitopes of the toxin remains free from antibodies. The data obtained are interpreted from the viewpoint of epitope heterogeneity, bivalency of serum antibodies, and monovalency of the toxin epitopes. A new model of the toxin-antibody interactions is proposed.

Antibodies↗

Ammonium chloride and methylamine hydrochloride antagonize clostridial neurotoxins.

Ammonium chloride (1-8 mM) and methylamine hydrochloride (1-16 mM) produce concentration-dependent antagonism of the onset of neuromuscular blockade caused by botulinum toxin types A, B and C (all at 1 X 10(-11) M) and by tetanus toxin (3 X 10(-10) M). Neither drug antagonizes the onset of paralysis caused by beta-bungarotoxin (1 X 10(-7) M) or by taipoxin (1 X 10(-8) M). At concentrations that produce antagonism of clostridial neurotoxins, ammonium chloride and methylamine hydrochloride (8-10 mM) do not inactivate toxin molecules, nor do they produce irreversible changes in tissue function. When studied under conditions that impose partial synchrony on the mechanism of clostridial neurotoxin action, ammonium chloride and methylamine hydrochloride do not inhibit ligand binding and do not reverse neuromuscular blockade. The drugs act solely to antagonize internalization of toxins by cholinergic nerve endings. As a result of inhibiting the process of internalization, the drugs trap the toxins at an antitoxin sensitive site.

Ammonium Chloride↗

HEMOLYSIS OF RABBIT ERYTHROCYTES BY PURIFIED STAPHYLOCOCCAL ALPHA-TOXIN. II. EFFECTS OF INHIBITORS ON THE HEMOLYTIC SEQUENCE.

Cooper, Louis Z. (New England Center Hospital, Boston, Mass.), Morton A. Madoff, and Louis Weinstein. Hemolysis of rabbit erythrocytes by purified staphylococcal alpha-toxin. II. Effect of inhibitors on the hemolytic sequence. J. Bacteriol. 87:136-144. 1964.-Study of the time course of hemolysis of rabbit erythrocytes by purified staphylococcal alpha-lysin revealed that the specific toxin-red cell reaction occurs during the prelytic period. This reaction could be prevented or decreased by alpha-lysin antitoxin added early, but not by antitoxin added at the end of the prelytic phase or at any time thereafter. In contrast, hemolysis is suppressed temporarily by sucrose and permanently by polyethylene glycol, even when these are added during the period of rapid release of hemoglobin. When sucrose is present together with alpha-lysin and red cells only during the prelytic period, and when the cells are then washed and resuspended in phosphate-buffered saline, their subsequent hemolysis is not altered by the presence of the sugar. This is not so when antitoxin is employed. When erythrocytes are laked by a measured excess of alpha-lysin, only a portion of the original hemolytic activity can be recovered. Repeated exposure of lysin to red cells produces a loss of activity represented by a linear function when logs of residual activity are plotted sequentially. Once alpha-lysin has reacted with red cells, it does not appear to be available for attachment to other erythrocytes.

Animals↗