title: Characterization of a secreted cytoactive factor from Trichomonas vaginalis.
abstract: Trichomonas vaginalis, grown in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with or without serum, produced a factor (TVF) which altered the morphology of certain mammalian cells in vitro. TVF had a Mr of approximately 250 kDa by gel filtration, approximately 50 kDa by SDS-PAGE, and was heat (56 degrees C, 30 min) and pH (greater than 6 or less than 8) labile. Co-incubation of TVF with adherent target cells caused a marked rounding and clumping of BHK-21 or CHO-K1 cells, but had no effect on RK-13 or WEHI-3 cells. These morphologic changes were concentration, time, and energy dependent. Reversibility was attained by exogenous serum addition (greater than 10%) or TVF washout. Target cell perturbations were not accompanied by significant changes in growth (as measured by nuclei counts, DNA content, or 3H-thymidine incorporation), in cell leakage (as assessed by lactate dehydrogenase release), or in cell viability (by trypan blue dye exclusion). TVF-induced effects were independent of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP levels in BHK cells exposed for 5 min-24 hr.
authors: University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.
authors: W B
authors: WB
authors: Lushbaugh
authors: A C
authors: AC
authors: Turner
authors: G A
authors: GA
authors: Gentry
authors: P C
authors: PC
authors: Klykken
mesh_terms: D000371:Agglutination; D000818:Animals; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D013997:Time Factors; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001685:Biological Factors