title: Experimental Pseudomonas exotoxin A mediated ocular damage in mouse pups: microscopic observations.
abstract: The ocular damage in mouse pups produced by purified Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A was examined microscopically following toxin A injection beneath the fused eyelid. In contrast to infection, in which lysis of ocular surface epithelium occurs within minutes, toxin A does not induce any lytic changes until 5 h after injection. Additionally, no phagocytic cellular response to toxin A was observed, whereas in infection, this response is seen within 1 h. We conclude that toxin A is not the bacterial extracellular factor responsible for mediating the rapid early destruction of the ocular epithelium allowing bacterial penetration and dissemination.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004848:Epithelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005143:Eyelids; D007267:Injections; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa
chemical_list: D005098:Exotoxins