Microfilament-disrupting Clostridium difficile toxin B causes multinucleation of transformed cells but does not block capping of membrane Ig
Shoshan, M.C.; Aman, P.; Skog, S.; Florin, I.; Thelestam, M.
European Journal of Cell Biology 53(2): 357-363
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0171-9335 PMID: 2081549 Document Number: 351674
The effects of Clostridium difficile toxin B on some actin-dependent cellular functions were studied. A three-day incubation of intoxicated B-lymphocytes and transformed 3T3 fibroblasts resulted in dose-dependent multinucleation. Using vimentin-negative Daudi cells we showed that this effect of toxin B does not involve vimentin. As DNA and protein syntheses are not impaired in the cells used, the results suggest that toxin B has an effect on the actin-containing contractile ring during mitosis, in a manner similar to that of the microfilament-disrupting agent cytochalasin B. Toxin B is the first bacterial toxin shown to have this effect. It was also found that the capping of surface IgM on B-lymphocytes was not inhibited by toxin B, whereas cytochalasin B did inhibit capping. These results suggest that capping is dependent on a specific membrane-associated actin structure, which is not affected by toxin B.