Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin acts on MDCK cells by forming a large membrane complex.
Epsilon-toxin is produced by Clostridium perfringens types B and D and is responsible for a rapidly fatal enterotoxemia in animals, which is characterized by edema in several organs due to an increase in blood vessel permeability. The Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line has been found to be susceptible to epsilon-toxin (D. W. Payne, E. D. Williamson, H. Havard, N. Modi, and J. Brown, FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 116:161-168, 1994). Here we present evidence that epsilon-toxin cytotoxic activity is correlated with the formation of a large membrane complex (about 155 kDa) and efflux of intracellular K+ without entry of the toxin into the cytosol. Epsilon-toxin induced swelling, blebbing, and lysis of MDCK cells. Iodolabeled epsilon-toxin bound specifically to MDCK cell membranes at 4 and 37 labeled C and was associated with a large complex (about 155 kDa). The binding of epsilon-toxin to the cell surface was corroborated by immunofluorescence staining. The complex formed at 37 degrees C was more stable than that formed at 4 degrees C, since it was not dissociated by 5% sodium dodecyl sulfate and boiling.
Petit
L
L
Unité des Toxines Microbiennes, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Gibert
M
M
Gillet
D
D
Laurent-Winter
C
C
Boquet
P
P
Popoff
M R
MR
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D048429:Cell Size; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003016:Clostridium perfringens; D004285:Dogs; D004705:Endocytosis; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D014709:Vero Cells
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C039811:Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011188:Potassium