Studies on the mode of action of diphtheria toxin. V. Protein metabolism in a guinea pig model simulating chronic diphtheritic toxemia

Diphtheria pathogenesis in Guinea pig tracheal organ culture

The effect of diphtheria toxin on guinea pig trachea in organ culture was examined to measure the susceptibility of respiratory epithelial cells to toxin action. Exposure of individual tracheal rings to toxin resulted in cessation of protein synthesis as well as the development of cytopathology within a few hours. Continued incubation led to further inhibition of protein synthesis and extensive disorganization of the epithelial layer. Other inhibitors of protein synthesis were monitored for their effect on the structural integrity of tracheal cells but were found incapable of eliciting similar histopathology. Early after its addition, toxin at minute concentrations possessed cytotoxic properties as well as the ability to inhibit protein synthesis. Interpretation of these data is correlated with current information on the structure and activity of diphtheria toxin.

Interaction of cultured mammalian cells with [125I] diphtheria toxin

The characteristics of cell adsorption and pinocytotic uptake of diphtheria toxin by several mammalian cell types were studied. Purified toxin iodinated by a solid-state lactoperoxidase method provided preparations of high specific activity and unaltered biological activity. Dephtheria toxin-sensitive HEp-2 cells and guinea pig macrophage cultures were compared with resistant mouse L-929 cells. At 37 C the resistant cells in monolayer adsorbed and internalized [125I] toxin to a greater extent than did the HEp-2 cell cultures; no significant differences were observed at 5 C. Ammonium chloride protection levels did not alter uptake of toxin by either L-929 OR HEp-2 cells. Biological activity of the iodinated toxin, however, was negated provided the presence of ammonium chloride was maintained. The ammonium salt appears to maintain toxin in a state amenable to antitoxin neutralization. Guinea pig macrophages internalized iodinated toxin to a level 10 times greater than the established cell lines. In spite of the increased uptake of toxin by the endocytic cells, ammonium chloride prevented expression of toxicity. In an artificial system, toxin adsorbed to polystyrene latex spheres and internalized by guinea pig macrophages during phagocytosis did express biological activity. Ammonium chloride afforded some but not total protection against toxin present in the phagocytic vacuoles. The data suggest that two mechanisms of toxin uptake by susceptible cells may be operative. Toxin taken into the cell by a pinocytotic process probably is not ordinarily of physiological significance since it is usually degraded by lysosomal enzymes before it can reach cytoplasmic constituents on which it acts. When large quantities of toxin are pinocytized, toxicity may be expressed before enzymatic degradation is complete. A more specific uptake involving direct passage of the toxin through the plasma membrane may be the mechanism leading to cell death in the majority of instances.

Diphtheria toxin: mode of action and structure

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