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PMID: 3965408 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Effect of calcium ions on staphylococcal alpha-toxin-induced hemolysis of rabbit erythrocytes.

Infection and immunity ·Vol. 47 ·No. 1 ·1985-01-00 ·Pages 37-40

Harshman S, Sugg N

Abstract

Calcium in millimolar concentrations protected rabbit erythrocytes from hemolysis caused by staphylococcal alpha-toxin. This effect was maximal at 30 mM CaCl2 and required the continued presence of calcium. The protection was not absolute and could be overcome by increased concentrations of alpha-toxin. Calcium did not block the binding of alpha-toxin to erythrocytes but inhibited the alpha-toxin-induced release of small ions from the cell as measured by 86Rb release. The transient removal of calcium was sufficient to abrogate its protective effect, suggesting that its action involves a reversible alteration in the state of the membrane. The three steps of the alpha-toxin-induced hemolytic sequence are: (i) binding to specific receptors, (ii) formation of transmembrane pores, and (iii) cell lysis. We concluded that calcium acted at step ii by impeding the lateral movement of alpha-toxin necessary to form the transmembrane hexamer pores.

MeSH Terms
Animals Bacterial Toxins/toxicity Calcium Chloride/pharmacology Erythrocytes/drug effects Hemolysin Proteins Hemolysis/drug effects Kinetics Rabbits Rubidium/blood Staphylococcus/pathogenicity
Chemicals
Bacterial Toxins Hemolysin Proteins staphylococcal alpha-toxin Calcium Chloride Rubidium
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Harshman S
Sugg N
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20 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
Infection and immunity
Abbr.
Infect Immun
ISSN
0019-9567
DOI
10.1128/iai.47.1.37-40.1985
Published
1985-01-00
Pages
37-40
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
0246127
PMCID
PMC261457
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1128/iai.47.1.37-40.1985 PMC Full Text View journal details
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