• Search Research Projects
  • Search Researchers
  • How to Use
  1. Back to previous page

Study on structure biology and molecular pathology of Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin

Research Project

Project/Area Number 13470060
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Bacteriology (including Mycology)
Research InstitutionKagawa Medical University

Principal Investigator

OKABE akinobu  Kagawa Medical University, Molecular Microbiology, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (20093677)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) KOBAYASHI ryoji  Kagawa Medical University, Signal Transduction Sciences, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (00020917)
MIYATA shigeru  Kagawa Medical University, Molecular Microbiology, Assistant professor, 医学部, 助手 (90314913)
MATSUSHITA osamu  Kagawa Medical University, Molecular Microbiology, Associated professor, 医学部, 助教授 (00209537)
TOKUDA masaki  Kagawa Medical University, Physiology, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (10163974)
TOKUMITSU hiroshi  Kagawa Medical University, Signal Transduction Sciences, Associated professor, 医学部, 助教授 (20237077)
Project Period (FY) 2001 – 2002
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2002)
Budget Amount *help
¥10,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥10,300,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥3,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥6,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,900,000)
KeywordsClostridium perfringens / Epsilon-toxin / Lipid rafts / Histopathology / Nephrotoxicity / Immunohistochemsitry / Receptor / MDCK cell / Histopathology / ウェルシュ菌 / 構造解析 / 腸性毒素血症 / ε毒素 / モノクローナル抗体 / 脂質ラフト / 膜孔形成型毒素
Research Abstract

Clostridium perfringens epsilon-protoxin, in which His6 was N-terminally tagged and a factor Xa cleavage site was generated to cleave an N-terminal propeptide, was replaced with Se-methionine. The Se-methionine protoxin was purified, and then the N-terminal propeptide was cleaved off with factor Xa, followed by crystallization. Although the resulting crystal was shown to be twined, we are now attempting to solve the three-dimensional structure of the protoxin by computer analysis.
We showed that epsilon-toxin (e-toxin) assembles to a heptameric pore within the lipid rafts of the rat synaptosome and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell membranes. To assess how physicochemical properties of the lipid rafts affect e-toxin assembly, we change major lipid constituents, cholesterol and gangliosides of MDCK cells. The heptamerization of e-toxin and its cytotoxicity towards MDCKcells was decreased by depletion of cholesterol, and was adversely stimulated by inhibition of gangliosides synthesis … More , suggesting that alteration in a lipid rafts environment modulates the assembly and/or the insertion of the toxin therein.
In an attempt to study the molecular pathology of e-toxin enterotoxeamia, we examined the distribution of e-toxin by whole body autoradiography involving mice injected intravenously with 35S-labeled e-toxin. The toxin was most prominently distributed in the kidneys, and fairly abundantly in the brain, spinal cord, and nasal turbinates. Immunostaining of the kidneys showed that the toxin was detected mainly in the glomeruli and capillaries, and that it was also detectable in the distal tubules and collecting ducts. Although histological examination showed some pathological changes, e.g. shrinkage of glomeruli and degeneration of epithelial cells in the distal tubules and collecting ducts, they were not so severe as those found in the brain such as neuronal cell damage and perivascular edema. The biological relevance of the toxin accumulation in the kidneys was approached by examining an effect of nephrectomy on the lethal toxicity of e-toxin against mice. The nephrectomy shortened the time required for the toxin to kill mice. When mice was intoxicated with botulinus toxin or C. perfringens alpha-toxin, such an effect of nephrectomy was not observed. Based on these results, we propose that the kidneys contribute to the host defense by accumulating circulating e-toxin and thereby protecting the brain from a lethal damage.
A cDNA clone encoding for a portion of a putative e-toxin receptor has been isolated by a yeast two-hybrid system. Studies are currently under way to identify the corresponding whole receptor protein and also to characterize molecular mechanism of e-toxin cytotoxicity involving e-toxin-resistant clones isolated fromMDCK cells Less

Report

(3 results)
  • 2002 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 2001 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (7 results)

All Other

All Publications (7 results)

  • [Publications] Shigeru Miyata: "Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin forms a heptameric pore within the detergent-insoluble microdomains of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells and rat synaptosomes"The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 277. 39463-39468 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2002 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Shigeru Miyata: "Cleavage of a C-terminal peptide is essential for heptamerization of Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin in the synaptosomal membrane"The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 276. 13778-13783 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2002 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Miyata S, Minami J, Tamai E, Matsushita O, Shimamoto S, Okabe A.: "Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin forms a heptameric pore within the detergent-insoluble microdomains of Madin-Derby canine kidney cells and rat synaptosomes"The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 277-42. 39463-39468 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2002 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Miyata S, Matsushita O, Minami J, Katayama S, Shimamoto S, Okabe A.: "Cleavage of a C-terminal peptide is essential for heptamerization of Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin in the synaptosomal membrane"The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 276-17. 13778-13783 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2002 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Shigeru Miyata: "Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin forms a heptameric pore within the detergent-insoluble microdomains of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells and rat synaptosomes"The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 277・42. 39463-39468 (2002)

    • Related Report
      2002 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Shigeru Miyata: "Cleavage of a C-terminal peptide is essential for heptamerization of Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin in the synaptosomal membrane"The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 276・17. 13778-13783 (2001)

    • Related Report
      2002 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Shigeru Miyata: "Cleavage of a C-terminal peptide is essential for heptamerization of Clostridium perfringens ε-toxin in the synaptosomal membrane"J Biol Chem. 276・17. 13778-13783 (2001)

    • Related Report
      2001 Annual Research Report

URL: 

Published: 2001-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

Information User Guide FAQ News Terms of Use Attribution of KAKENHI

Powered by NII kakenhi