Cytotoxic activity of supernatant extracts of virulent and saprophytic leptospires.
Extracts from supernatants, obtained from culture of virulent strain PB-3 and saprophytic strain Isola Sacra 1, were assayed for cytotoxicity. A cytotoxic factor produced by the pathogenic strain was found to affect specifically the tested cells, at determined concentrations; on the other side a not clear and scarce cytotoxicity was shown for the extract from the saprophytic strain Isola Sacra 1. Cytotoxic factor produced by strain PB-3 was heat resistant and trypsin sensitive, suggesting to be a thermostable protein. An inhibitory doses it induced a typical, cytopathic effect on the treated cells.
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007919:Leptospira / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000472:pathogenicity; D051379:Mice; D013045:Species Specificity; D014357:Trypsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014774:Virulence
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003603:Cytotoxins; D014357:Trypsin