Novel biological property of pertussis toxin: chemotactic activity on human monocytes

Chemotactic activity of pertussis toxin on murine lymphocytes. Its potential role on lymphocyte accumulation in the lung

The effects of pertussis toxin on lymphocyte migration were studied in vitro. In this study pertussis toxin significantly stimulated lymphocyte migration at concentrations of 0.1 and 1 microgram ml-1 using a microchamber and the leading-front method. Checkerboard analysis demonstrated that pertussis toxin causes directed migration of lymphocytes (chemotaxis). Heat-treatment pertussis toxin abolished its capacity to cause this migration. When murine lymphocytes were preincubated with different concentrations of pertussis toxin, an inhibition of chemotaxis at the dosages of 0.1 and 1 microgram ml-1 was observed. On the other hand, lymphocytes derived from mice treated with pertussis toxin were not inhibited after subsequent exposure to pertussis toxin in vitro. Since lymphocyte accumulation in the lungs of mice treated with pertussis toxin has been well demonstrated, the results of our study could suggest a chemotactic activity of pertussis toxin in determining accumulation of lymphocytes in this organ.

Monoclonal antibody against pertussis toxin: effect on toxin activity and pertussis infections

Antibody-producing hybridomas of myeloma SP2/O and spleen cells of BALB/c mouse immunized with pertussis toxoid and pertussis toxin were selected by the binding ability of the monoclonal antibody to the subunit protein of the toxin. Two monoclonal antibodies, 1B7 and 3F10, specific for a subunit which has no binding activity to haptoglobin and sheep erythrocytes, named S1, and one antibody, 1H2, for a subunit related to the binding activity of the pertussis toxin molecule to haptoglobin or sheep erythrocytes, named S4, were examined for mouse protective activity against pertussis infection. Antibody 1B7 not only neutralized leukocytosis-promoting and islet-activating activities of the toxin but also protected mice against intracerebral and aerosol challenge with Bordetella pertussis. The antibody, furthermore, showed therapeutic effects on mice showing severe clinical signs with pertussis infection. The other two antibodies, 3F10 and 1H2, showed neither neutralizing nor protecting activity, nor significant synergistic effects on antibody 1B7.

In vitro inhibition of murine macrophage migration by Bordetella pertussis lymphocytosis-promoting factor

Lymphocytosis promoting factor (LPF) of Bordetella pertussis is a protein toxin which may have a role in the pathogenesis of pertussis. Since macrophages have an important role in the control of respiratory infections, the in vitro effects of LPF on macrophages from C3H/HeN and C3H/HeJ mice and on a murine macrophage-like cell line, RAW264, were examined. LPF inhibited random migration of resident peritoneal macrophages as well as the chemotaxis of peritoneal macrophages and the cell line. Fifty percent inhibition of chemotaxis occurred at 0.2 to 0.3 ng of LPF per ml for the macrophages and at 1 to 2 ng of LPF per ml for the cell line. When LPF was either heated at 80 degrees C for 5 min or premixed with specific antibodies, it failed to inhibit migration. At 20 ng/ml, LPF inhibited chemotaxis by more than 80% and also decreased Fc-mediated phagocytosis by 25 to 35%. At this dose, LPF was not a chemoattractant for murine macrophages and did not reduce macrophage viability, adherence, or opsonized zymosan-stimulated superoxide release. When LPF-treated macrophages were added to tissue culture dishes and then examined microscopically after 4 h, the LPF-treated cells adhered but failed to spread and elongate as well as control macrophages. These data indicate that LPF specifically inhibits macrophage migration in vitro and suggest that a possible role for LPF in pathogenesis is to inhibit migration of macrophages to the site of B. pertussis infection.