Globotriaosylceramide, Gb3, is an alternative functional receptor for Shiga-like toxin 2e.
We reexamined the binding specificity of the Shiga-like toxin variant associated with porcine edema disease, SLT2e, which is reported to be more cytotoxic for Vero cells than for HeLa cells, by using receptor-deficient cells and a liposomal insertion system for purified glycolipids. We found that SLT2e preferentially uses globotetraosylceramide as a receptor but can also cause cytotoxicity by using globotriaosylceramide, the SLT2 receptor. We conclude that the differential cytotoxicity of SLT2e on HeLa and Vero cells is a function of both the receptor preference of the toxin and the specific glycolipid content of the target cells being used.
Keusch
G T
GT
Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
Jacewicz
M
M
Acheson
D W
DW
Donohue-Rolfe
A
A
Kane
A V
AV
McCluer
R H
RH
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016466:CHO Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006224:Cricetinae; D005915:Globosides / Q000378:metabolism; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2; D014281:Trihexosylceramides / Q000378:metabolism*; D014709:Vero Cells
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005915:Globosides; D006017:Glycolipids; D008081:Liposomes; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2; C068556:Shiga-like toxin receptor; D014281:Trihexosylceramides; C024032:globotetraosylceramide; C018549:globotriaosylceramide