The IL-2 toxin-mediated inhibition of protein synthesis in high affinity IL-2-R-positive murine and human T cell lines has been examined. Both excess free IL-2 and mAb to the Tac epitope of the p55 subunit of IL-2-R are shown to block the action of IL-2 toxin; whereas, agents that interact with other receptors or antigens on the T cell surface have no effect. We show that IL-2 toxin, like dipht...

The interleukin 2-diphtheria toxin-related fusion protein (IL-2-toxin) rapidly inhibits protein synthesis in IL-2 receptor (IL-2R)-bearing phytohemagglutinin-activated T cells but transiently stimulates DNA synthesis. At 7 hr after interaction with IL-2R+ phytohemagglutinin-activated T cells, IL-2-toxin-treated cells bear augmented steady-state levels of c-myc, interferon gamma, and IL-2R mRNA;...

T-2 toxin is a mycotoxin that belongs to a group of type A tricothecenes found in agricultural products. The cytotoxicity of T-2 toxin was characterized by analysis of the yeast transcriptome upon challenge with T-2 toxin. Interestingly, T-2 toxin-induced yeast gene expression profiles were found to be similar to profiles obtained following cycloheximide treatment. Moreover, T-2 toxin treatment...

Background & Aims: Clostridium difficile has been identified as a pathogen in antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD), pseudomembranous colitis and also nosocomial diarrhea. The present study was performed to find the prevalence of toxigenic strains of C .difficile isolated from diarrhea patients hospitalized in Tehran hospitals. Method: A total of 98 fecal samples obtained during July to December...

Background and Objective:Outbreak of food-borne diseases has become more and more important these days and using natural food preservers with high durability is under debate. Vegetative essence is a type of food preserver and many studies have been performed on their antimicrobial effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate antibacterial effects of lavender essence on...

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of virulence and Cytolethal Distending Toxin (CDT) genes in the Campylobacter isolates from intestinal contents and gall bladders of broilers and, to evalute their cytotoxic effects on HeLa cell cultures. These genes play important roles in bacterial adherence to intestinal mucosa, flagella-mediated motility, invasive capability and the ab...

In vitro metabolism of T-2 toxin with S-9 fraction obtained from livers of phenobarbital-treated pigs and rats in the presence of different esterase inhibitors, including NaF, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, eserine sulfate, diisopropylfluorophosphate, and diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate, was studied. The metabolism was completely shifted to the hydroxylation at the C-3...

Anthrax lethal toxin, composed of protective antigen and lethal factor, was tested for cytotoxicity to human melanoma cell lines and normal human cells. Eleven of 18 melanoma cell lines were sensitive to anthrax lethal toxin (IC(50) < 400 pmol/L) and 10 of these 11 sensitive cell lines carried the V599E BRAF mutation. Most normal cell types (10 of 15) were not sensitive to anthrax lethal toxin ...

Clostridium difficile toxin A glucosylates Rho family proteins, resulting in actin filament disaggregation and cell rounding in cultured colonocytes. Given that the cellular toxicity of toxin A is dependent on its receptor binding and subsequent entry into the cell, we herein sought to identify additional colonocyte proteins that might bind to toxin A following its internalization. Our results ...

Chinese hamster ovary cells were used to examine the effect of emetine upon the toxicity of T-2 toxin and several related trichothecene inhibitors of polypeptide synthesis. Emetine inhibited protein synthesis and T-2 toxin-cell association in a concentration-dependent manner. The dose-response curves for these two effects were nearly identical. Over a narrow concentration range (0.3-3.0 microgr...