Purification and characterization of Staphylococcus aureus FRI 1169 and 587 toxic shock syndrome exotoxins

An exotoxin was purified from a toxic shock toxin (TST)-producing Staphylococcus aureus strain, FRI 1169, and another exotoxin was purified from a pyrogenic exotoxin C (PEC)-producing S. aureus strain, 587. Both strains had been isolated from toxic-shock syndrome patients. The two exotoxins were purified by the same method of ion-exchange chromatography, chromatofocusing, and gel filtration. After purification, those exotoxins gave a line of identity against an anti-TST serum and also were immunologically similar to TST in a double-diffusion test. In sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, each exotoxin gave a single band with a relative mobility identical to that of the other. Their molecular weights (24,000), isoelectric points (7.0), amino acid compositions, and NH2-terminal amino acid sequences (the first four residues) were identical. Both produced fever and enhanced host susceptibility to lethal endotoxin shock in rabbits, comparable with PEC. These findings show that the two exotoxins are the same protein, which is assumed to be TST. When injected into rabbits, the culture supernatant of strain 587 showed biological activity like that described above, whereas the culture supernatant neutralized with anti-TST immunoglobulin did not. This showed that PEC-producing strain 587 does not produce any toxin with these biological activities in rabbits except TST.

Studies on rabbit corneal permeability of local anesthetics (I)

To elucidate the pharmacokinetics of local anesthetics with respect to corneal permeability in the rabbit, we examined the relationship between the corneal permeability velocities of three agents, cocaine X HCl, procaine X HCl and tetracaine X HCl and corneal hydration. The corneal permeability velocity constants (k) of these three ester-type local anesthetics were approximately 0.5-6.0 X 10(-6) cm/sec and the membrane permeability constants of these agents were approximately 0.5-4.0 X 10(-7) cm2/sec, whereas the rabbit corneal hydration values were 3.2-4.2. Tetracaine X HCl with the strongest topical anesthetic action showed the greatest corneal hydration and the smallest corneal permeability velocity constant among these local anesthetics. Rabbit corneal permeability decreased with increasing molecular length of the agents. Permeability of these local anesthetics in the rabbit cornea appears to result from passive transport. As corneal hydration values and the corneal permeability constant increased with greater topical anesthetic activity, it appears that the degree of inhibition of Na+-K+ ATPase activity is associated with the order of topical anesthetic activity in a similar manner as general anesthetics.

Effect of highly purified coagulase and culture filtrate on virulence and immunity of a coagulase-negative mutant of staphylococcus aureus BB

The virulence of the coagulase-deficient mutant BB-Cgl- 1301 (50% lethal dose [LD50] for mice by the intravenous route) was compared with that of its parental strain, Staphylococcus aureus BB. The BB strain produced free coagulase of serotype I, whereas the mutant 1301 did not. Mice were infected with strain 1301, alone or in combination with a highly purified coagulase type I or type II solution, or with concentrated culture filtrates of parent strain BB or mutant strain 1301. The ratios of the LD50S of 1301 and its combinations to that of BB ranged from 34.9 to 461. Combining strain 1301 with a concentrated culture filtrate of BB (BB-CF2.5) was the most effective for enhancement of its virulence. When mice were infected with a combination of strain 1301 and BB-CF2.5, the LD50 of strain 1301 (1.72 mg of cells [wet weight]) was decreased to 0.13 mg (1.3 x 10(8) CFU). This LD50 yielded the smallest ratio, 34.9, as compared with the LD50 of BB (0.00373 mg). In contrast, when the mice subcutaneously immunized with strain 1301 and BB-CF50 were intravenously challenged by strain BB, the LD50 for the immunized mice was 17.4 times the LD50 for the unimmunized control mice (0.0429 mg as compared with 0.00246 mg), indicating that combination was the most effective for enhancement of mouse immunization with strain 1301. However, combining strain 1301 with the highly purified sample of coagulase increased neither the virulence nor the immunizing power of mutant strain 1301.

Familial acute myelogenous leukemia associated with RNA virus and polymorphism of 1qh+

In order to investigate the genetic background of leukemogenesis of two brothers with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), they and their family members were studied genetically, immunologically, virologically, and cytogenetically. Their parents were first cousins once removed and had the same or a very close type of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and blood groups. In all five non-leukemic family members the immunoglobulin G (IgG) level was elevated, and in two healthy siblings the IgM level was beyond the normal range. The RNA reverse transcriptase activity in serum of the younger brother (Case 2) with AML was elevated. A cytogenetic study of the family revealed polymorphism of 1qh+. Based on these findings, we discuss the genetic and environmental factors of familial leukemia.

A new method for purification of staphylocoagulase by a bovine prothrombin-Sepharose column

Staphylocoagulase was isolated from a culture filtrate of Staphylococcus aureus, strain st-213, by a two step purification procedure of chromatography on a bovine prothrombin-Sepharose 4B affinity column and gel filtration on Sephadex G-25. The yield of the coagulase activity ranged from 75--83% and the purified preparation gave a single precipitin line in immunodiffusion tests against anti-crude and anti-purified staphylocoagulase sera. However, the final product was shown to contain one major and two minor components by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Chemical analysis of the material indicated that it does not contain any cystine residues and that its NH2-terminal residue is a single isoleucine.

Purification of Staphylocoagulase by a Bovine Prothrombin-Sepharose 4B Column and its Physicochemical Properties

Staphylocoagulase is known to coagulate human plasma, but not bovine’s, by forming an active molecular complex with prothrombin. However, there is no enough knowledges in respect to the molecular mechanism of prothrombin activation with staphylocoasulase. A new simplified method was developed for the large-scale purification of coagulase from culture filtrates of Staphylococcus aureus. strain st-213, using Sepharose AB covalently linked with bovine prothrombin. This affinity column adsorbed strongly the coagulase, which was eluted with 1.0 M NaSCN. The yield of coagulase activity was in the range of 75 to 85X, The purified coagulase showed a single symmetrical peak by ultracentrifugal analysis (S20,w=6.47), and it gave a single precipitin line against anti-purifled staphylocoagulase serum, as revealed by the immunodiffusion test. However, the preparation was shown to contain three active components by the isoelectric foccusing method, suggesting some microheterogeneity. The molecular weight estimated by SDS-gel electrophoresis was 71,000 (major material). No cystine residue was found in the purified material and its NH2-terminal sequence was Ile-Ile-. It is of interest that staphylocoagulase interacts strongly with bovine prothrombin-Sepharose AB, whereas it does not form any active complex with the prothrombin, unlike human prothrombin.

Benzylpenicillin preparations can evoke a systemic anaphylactic reaction in guinea pigs

All of the five commercially available benzylpenicillin preparations obtained from different sources and a PcG preparation prepared by filtration of a commercial PcG on Sephadex G10 elicited the systemic anaphylactic reactions in guinea pigs which had been immunized with benzylpenicilloyl (BPO)-Ascaris extract conjugate (BPO-As) mixed with aluminum bydroxide gel. These preparations could evoke no such reactions in guinea pigs immunized with BPO-bovine gamma globulin conjugate (BPO-BGG) emulsified with complete Freund's adjuvant. The severity of the systemic anaphylactic reactions correlated significantly with the titers of either 8-day passive cutaneous anaphylactic (8-day PCA) reactions or 4-hr PCA reactions evoked with the same benzylpenicillin preparations. In vitro benzylpenicillin preparation contracted the tracheas of the guinea pigs immunized with BPO-As. These results indicated that the commercially available benzylpenicillin preparations have enough antigenicity to evoke systemic anaphylactic reactions in guinea pigs immunized with BPO-As mixed with aluminum hydroxide gel. Such guinea pigs represent an animal model for investigation of penicillin allergy.

Eliciting antigenicities of benzylpenicillin, ampicillin and carbenicillin preparations examined with the reagin-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis system

Six commercially available ampicillin preparations, as well as nine commercial benzylpenicillin preparations, were found to be capable of eliciting homologous PCA reactions in guinea pigs sensitized with anti-benzylpenicilloyl (anti-BPO) reagmic sera. There were variations in potencies to evoke the PCA reactions among these penicillin preparations. Carbenicillin preparations gave no or very weak PCA reactions. PCA reactions with chromatographic fractions of the ampicillin preparations were elicited with fractions eluted earlier than the main peak but not with fractions supposedly containing the bulk of the ampicillin. These results strongly suggest that the antigenicities of the macromolecular impurities in benzylpenicillin and ampicillin preparations relating to the BPO determinant should be examined by the anti-BPO reagin-mediated PCA system and that there are variations in potencies to evoke the allergic reactions among commercial benzylpenicillins and among aminobenzylpenicillins.