Stimulation of neutrophil leukocyte chemotaxis by a cloned cytolytic enterotoxin of Aeromonas hydrophila

A cytolytic enterotoxin produced by Aeromonas hydrophila, isolate SSU, has been cloned in our laboratory. This enterotoxin lysed rabbit red blood cells, destroyed Chinese hamster ovary cells, caused fluid secretion in rat ligated ileal loops, inhibited the phagocytic function of mouse phagocytes, and was lethal to mice when injected intravenously. In this study, the effect of this cytolytic enterotoxin on the chemotaxis of human leukocytes (cell line RPMI 1788) was examined,. This toxin, at concentrations from 92.5 to 370 ng/ml, significantly stimulated the chemotactic activity of human leukocytes in a dose-dependent fashion. The stimulation of leukocyte chemotaxis elicited by cytolytic enterotoxin was abolished when the toxin was neutralized, heated, or exposed to low pH values. This stimulatory effect also was inhibited by various concentrations of pertussis toxin. These results demonstrated that cytolytic enterotoxin may stimulate increased chemotaxis of human leukocytes, and suggest that human leukocytes may possess cytolytic enterotoxin receptors which may be coupled to pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein.