title: Inhibition by zinc of hemolysis induced by bacterial and other cytolytic agents.
abstract: Zinc, cupric, and cadmium ions, in that order of effectiveness, inhibited lysis of washed, rabbit erythrocytes by the toxic bacterial product aerolysin. Hemolysis induced by a variety of other lytic agents was also inhibited by Zn2+ in approximately the same concentration as that, 0.33 mM, needed to inhibit aerolysin-induced hemolysis. Zinc ions did not inhibit osmotic lysis. Inhibition requires the continues presence of Zn2+ and apparently involves a readily reversible binding of Zn2+ to the cell surface, which, it is postulated is accompanied by a reversible alteration in the state of the lipid bilayer.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D003016:Clostridium perfringens; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D006384:Hemagglutination / Q000187:drug effects; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D011817:Rabbits; D013210:Staphylococcus; D013301:Streptolysins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002413:Cations, Divalent; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D013301:Streptolysins; D014118:Toxins, Biological; D015032:Zinc