title: [Endosomes and toxin translocation].
abstract: In this review we discuss data obtained by our group regarding the entry of toxins, especially ricin, diphtheria toxin (DT) and Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE) into animal cells. We studied the translocation process of these toxins using endosomes purified from lymphocytes. This process is rate-limiting for toxicity and enables these toxins to reach the cytosol where they will inactivate the protein synthesis system and kill the cell. We could show that each of these toxins uses a different strategy to cross the endosome membrane. Whereas ricin transmembrane transport only relies on cytosolic ATP hydrolysis, PE first requires exposure to the low endosomal pH (pH-6), presumably to insert into the endosome membrane, before being translocated via a process which also requires cytosolic ATP hydrolysis. DT translocation is directly triggered and energized by the endosome-cytosol pH gradient. Using conjugates with dihydrofolate reductase we could indirectly show that ricin and PE require unfolding for translocation. A deletion approach enabled to produce a more cytotoxic PE mutant by increasing its translocation activity.
authors.affiliation: UMR 5539 CNRS, Département Biologie-Santé, Université Montpellier II, 34095 Montpellier.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beaumelle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alami
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Taupiac
mesh_terms: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D001692:Biological Transport; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011992:Endosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D017510:Protein Folding; D012276:Ricin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000378:metabolism*; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A
chemical_list: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D005098:Exotoxins; D012276:Ricin; D014118:Toxins, Biological; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A