• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.696-703
• /
• 2014

Clostridium difficile causes mucosal damage and diarrhea by releasing two exotoxins: toxin A and toxin B. C. difficile colitis is associated with alterations in bowel flora and the failure to mount an effective antibody response. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether antitoxin sera prevent toxin-A-induced apoptosis, cytoskeletal disaggregation, cell detachment, and tight junction loss in cultured colonic epithelial cells. Serum samples were isolated from mice that survived a C. difficile infection following antibiotic treatment, and the antitoxin effects of these samples were investigated in toxin-A-exposed HT29 colonic epithelial cells and a toxin-A-induced animal model of gut inflammation. Unchallenged mice did not produce IgG against toxin A, whereas serum (antiserum) from C. difficile-challenged mice showed significant IgG responses against toxin A. Treatment with the antiserum markedly inhibited mucosal damage and inflammation in the toxin-A-treated mouse model. In contrast to control mouse serum, the antiserum also markedly inhibited toxin-A-induced DNA fragmentation, dephosphorylation of paxillin and Epo receptor (EpoR), deacetylation of tubulin, and upregulation of p21(WAF1/CIP1) and p53. Taken together, these results reveal that the generated antitoxin serum has biotherapeutic effects in preventing various C. difficile toxin-A-induced cellular toxicities.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.37-45
• /
• 1988

Primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes were used to study in vitro cytotoxic effects of T-2 toxin on liver cells. When T-2 toxin was added to the culture, a significant depression of the hormonal induction of ${\alpha}$-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) uptake and tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) activity was observed. However, T-2 toxin did not affect the uptake of ouabain into hepatocytes. Protein synthesis was inhibited by T-2 toxin, but RNA synthesis was not severely affected. The inhibitory effects of T-2 toxin on protein synthesis was diminished rapidly with culture time and the hepatocytes culture maintained control level of protein synthesis within 24 hrs.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.318-323
• /
• 1995

The effect of AF-toxin I produced by the strawberry pathotype of Alternaria alternata on the protein synthesis of susceptible strawberry protoplasts was examined by using the radiolabeled amino acids. The incorporation of the radiolabeled amino acids into newly synthesized proteins in the strawberry protoplasts was stimulated by the toxin treatment at relatively low concentrations (2.2$\times$10-11 to 2.2$\times$10-9 M), but not at higher concentrations (2.2$\times$10-8 to 2.2$\times$10-6 M). An one-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed no detectable differences in the proteins synthesized in both the toxintreated and untreated protoplasts. The susceptible strawberry protoplasts were treated with AF-toxin I and stained with Fluostain I to detect the extracellular polysaccharides. The toxin treatment induced the accumulation of extracellular polysccharides in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate a transient activation of cellular metabolism in the susceptible cells by the toxin exposure.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.380-387
• /
• 2000

Recently Vibrio sp. are the most frequently isolated microorganism, which causing food poisoning. We investigated the detection of toxin genes and effect of chitosan to toxin genes with PCR. Thirty strains of Vibrio sp. were isolated from sea water and sea products through biological and biochemical tests. Out of 30 strains, 8 were identified as V. parahemolyticus, 7 as V. mimcus, 6 as V. damsela, 5 as V. vulnificus, 4 as V. alginoyticus. In detection of ctx, tdh, and t고 as food poisoning-causing toxin genes, ctx from 7 strains, trh from 4 strains and tdh from 6 strains were detected. Among toxin genes detected strains, we selected V. vulnificus-2 V. damsela-1 and V. parahemolyticus-7. As adding chitosan solution to PCR product of 3 strains, the amplified DNA bands were not detected over 450$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ concentrantion of chitosan. Over the result, chitosan is thought to influence the detection of toxin gene.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.146-151
• /
• 1992

The aim of this study was to evaluate capability of pertussis toxin (PT) to active mouse macrophages. The investigations were undertaken to determine whether the role played by this toxin required the A-protomer of the toxin to ADP-ribosylate a guanine nucleotide binding protein (a class I activity) or was dependent on the binding of B-oligomer of the toxin to the surface of target cells (a Class II activity). The results of these experiments have established that the mechanism of macrophage activation with PT seems to be dependent upon a Class II activity of the toxin.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.227-231
• /
• 1995

In order to figure out the relationships between structural features and biological activity of the host-specific HC-toxin in maize, structurally related cyclic tetrapeptides, chlamydocin and CYL-2 were isolated, and their biological activities in maize were examined. Biological activities of preparations were determined by root growth inhibition and electrolyte leakage bioassays. Chlamydocin and CYL-2 showed toxicities to maize. However, the toxicities of these compounds were non-specific. Thus, the precise peptide ring structure of HC-toxin apparently does not play an important role in toxicity, while resistance of maize to HC-toxin is based on a precise ring conformation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
• /
• 1986.12a
• /
• pp.522.2-522
• /
• 1986

In order to optimally induce sporulation and toxin formation in Bacillus thuringiensis, exhaustion of specific nutrients as well as resuspension experiments were tried. Sporulation and toxin formation was most abunduntly occurred when the growth was limited by carbon source. It was also occurred in a resuspension medium containing only distilled water. Various environmental and physiological factors affecting the efficiencies of spore and toxin formation were examined in chemically defined media. As a result of these studies, a batch fermentation resulted in higher spore and toxin yield than ever reported

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.164-172
• /
• 2002

The role of botulinum toxin as a therapeutic agent is expanding rapidly in otolaryngology. Botulinum toxin is a protease that blocks the release of acetylcholine from nerve terminals. Its effects are transient and nondestructive, and largely limited to the area in which it is administered These effects are also graded according to the dose, allowing for individualized treatment of patients and disorders. Botulinum toxin has been used primarily to treat disorders of excessive or inappropriate muscle contraction. In the field of otolaryngology, these include spasmodic dysphonia, oromandibular dystonia, and blepharospasm, vocal tics and stuttering, cricopharyngeal achalasia, various tremors and tics, hemifacial spasm, temporomandibular joint disorders and a number of cosmetic applications. Botulinum toxin treatment has recently begun to show some benefit in the control of pain from migraine and tension headache. It may also prove useful in the control of autonomic dysfunction, as in Frey syndrome, sialorrhea, and rhinorrhea. In over 20 yews of use in humans, botulinum toxin has accumulated a considerable safety record, and in many cases represents relief for thousands of patients unaided by other therapy.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.129-135
• /
• 1985

In order to search for potential antidotes for T-2 toxin poisoning, seven Chinese herbal drug extracts and five natural constituents were tested on mice intoxicated with T-2 toxin. When extracts of Panax ginseng and Atractylodes japonica (500 mg/kg) were administered p.o. once 3 hrs before and once 1 hr after T-2 toxin treatment, a 30% complete survival rate was noted. In case of Paeonia albiflora var. typica, a 30% complete survival rate was also produced at a dose of 250 mg/kg. Other extracts, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Scutellaria baicalensis, Rehmannia glutinosa and Plantago asiatica exhibited no significant protection from the T-2 toxin poisoning. A nucleoside, thymidine showed protective activity against T-2 toxin toxicity and it produced a 40% complete survival rate when administered i.p. once 0.5 hr after T-2 toxin treatment. Other natural constituents, aucubin, vitamin C and E, and lipoic acid did not show any significant protective activities.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.227-231
• /
• 1992

The plasmids pSUPBT and pSUPBTR were constructed with a vector pSUP2021 and the BT toxin gene in the plasmid pES 1. The plasmids constructed were introduced into the antagonistic rhizobacteria P. fluorescens KR164 by conjugation and P. fluorescens having pSUPBT and pSUPBTR were named P. fluorescens KR164(pSUPBT)#2, KR164(pSUPBT)#3, KR164(pSUPBTR)#2 and KR164(pSUPBTR)#3, respectively. The BT toxin gene were identified in all transformants by Southern hybridization and the final product of BT toxin gene was identified only in P. fluorescens KR164(pSUPBTR)#3 by SDS-PAGE. This crystal toxin protein were also observed in electron microscopy.