title: Host cell specific activity of RTX toxins from haemolytic Actinobacillus equuli and Actinobacillus suis.
abstract: We assessed and compared host cell specificity of the haemolytic and cytotoxic activity of the RTX toxins from Actinobacillus equuli, an equine pathogen, and Actinobacillus suis, which is pathogenic for pigs. The two bacterial species are closely related, phenotypically as well as phylogenetically, sharing the same 16S rRNA gene sequence. Both species contain specific protein toxins from the family of pore-forming RTX toxins, however, the two species differ in their RTX toxin profiles. Haemolytic A. equuli contains the operon for the Aqx toxin, whereas A. suis harbours genes for ApxI and ApxII. We tested the toxic activity of the corresponding proteins on erythrocytes as well as on lymphocytes isolated from horse and pig blood. The strength of the haemolytic activity for each of the toxins was independent of the origin of erythrocytes. When testing cytotoxic activity, the Aqx protein showed a higher toxic effect for horse lymphocytes than for porcine lymphocytes. On the other hand, ApxI and ApxII showed a strong cytotoxic effect on porcine lymphocytes and a reduced toxicity for horse lymphocytes; the toxicity of ApxII was generally much lower than ApxI. Our results indicate a host species specificity of the toxic activity of RTX toxins Aqx of A. equuli and ApxI and ApxII of A. suis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Bern, Langgassstrasse 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. peter.kuhnert@vbi.unibe.ch
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuhnert
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Berthoud
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Straub
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frey
mesh_terms: D000188:Actinobacillus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000189:Actinobacillus Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003603:Cytotoxins