Toxin a from Clostridium difficile binds to rabbit erythrocyte glycolipids with therminal Gal. cap alpha. 1-3Gal. beta. 1-4GlcNaC sequences
Toxin A is one of two clostridial toxins implicated as the causative agent of pseudomembranous colitis in patients undergoing postoperative antibiotic therapy. Evidence that the carbohydrate binding determinant for this toxin is a glycoconjugate(s) with non-reducing Gal..cap alpha..1-3Gal..beta..1-4GlcNAc has recently been reported. Specific agglutination of rabbit erythrocytes by Toxin A is inhibited by bovine thyroglobulin and prevented by pretreatment of cells with ..cap alpha..-galactosidase. Total lipid extracts from rabbit erythrocytes were subjected to thin layer chromatography and the chromatogram overlaid with purified /sup 125/I-labeled Toxin A. Two major and several minor toxin-binding glycolipids were detected following autoradiography. The major toxin-binding glycolipids were identified as pentasaccharide- and decasaccharide-ceramides expressing terminal Gal..cap alpha..1-3Gal..beta..1-4GlcNAc sequences. Treatment of the toxin-binding glycolipids with ..cap alpha..-galactosidase abolished binding. Forsmann glycolipid, globoside, Gal..cap alpha..1-4 Gal..beta..1-4Glc-cer, and Gal..cap alpha..1-3Gal..beta..1-4Glc-cer did not bind the toxin. These observations are consistent with the proposed carbohydrate specificity of the toxin for the non-reducing terminal sequence, Gal..cap alpha..1-3Gal..beta..1-4GlcNAc.
- Research Organization:
- Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
- OSTI ID:
- 5904023
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-870644-; TRN: 87-037201
- Journal Information:
- Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States), Vol. 46:6; Conference: 78. annual meeting of the American Society of Biological Chemists conference, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 7 Jun 1987
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
PATHOGENESIS
LIPIDS
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
TOXINS
CLOSTRIDIUM
ERYTHROCYTES
IODINE 125
RABBITS
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY
ANIMALS
ANTIGENS
BACTERIA
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISEASES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IODINE ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KINETICS
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTION KINETICS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TOXIC MATERIALS
VERTEBRATES
550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques
550901 - Pathology- Tracer Techniques