title: Lytic effects of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans leukotoxin on human neutrophil cytoplasts.
abstract: Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans leukotoxin lysed human neutrophil cytoplasts. The reaction was associated with a rapid influx of extracellular calcium, a collapse in membrane potential, release of lactate dehydrogenase, and overt disintegration of the plasma membrane. These functional and structural alterations in the plasmalemma of neutrophil cytoplasts reinforce the hypothesis that A. actinomycetemcomitans leukotoxin acts as a pore-forming, membranolytic agent and indicate that neutrophil cytoplasts are useful tools in studying the biology of membrane-active toxins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-6002.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Korchak
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Lally
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berthold
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Taichman
mesh_terms: D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003603:Cytotoxins; D005098:Exotoxins; C018579:leukotoxin; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D002118:Calcium