Balletta A, Lorenz D, Rummel A, Gerhard R, Bigalke H, Wegner F. Clostridium difficile toxin B inhibits the secretory response of human mast cell line-1 (HMC-1) cells stimulated with high free-Ca²⁺ and GTPγS.
Toxicology 2014;
328:48-56. [PMID:
25497110 DOI:
10.1016/j.tox.2014.12.006]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Revised: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile toxins A and B (TcdA and TcdB) belong to the class of large clostridial cytotoxins and inactivate by glucosylation some low molecular mass GTPases of the Rho-family (predominantly Rho, Rac and Cdc42), known as regulators of the actin cytoskeleton. TcdA and B also represent the main virulence factors of the anaerobic gram-positive bacterium that is the causal agent of pseudomembranous colitis. In our study, TcdB was chosen instead of TcdA for the well-known higher cytotoxic potency. Inactivation of Rho-family GTPases by this toxin in our experimental conditions induced morphological changes and reduction of electron-dense mast cell-specific granules in human mast cell line-1 (HMC-1) cells, but not cell death or permeabilisation of plasma-membranes. Previously reported patch-clamp dialysis experiments revealed that high intracellular free-Ca(2+) and GTPγS concentrations are capable of inducing exocytosis as indicated by significant membrane capacitance (Cm) increases in HMC-1 cells. In this study, we investigated the direct effects of TcdB upon HMC-1 cell "stimulated" Cm increase, as well as on "constitutive" secretion of hexosaminidase and interleukin-16 (IL-16). Compared to untreated control cells, HMC-1 cells incubated with TcdB for 3-24h exhibited a significant reduction of the mean absolute and relative Cm increase in response to free-Ca(2+) and GTPγS suggesting an inhibition of secretory processes by TcdB. In conclusion, the HMC-1 cell line represents a suitable model for the study of direct effects of C. difficile toxins on human mast cell secretory activity.
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