Phospholipase A and the interaction of Rickettsia prowazekii and mouse fibroblasts (L-929 cells)

Journal Article · Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Infect. Immun.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6430185

Winkler, H H; Miller, E T

L-929 cells were killed when approximately 50 viable Rickettsia prowazekii organisms per L-cell were centrifuged onto a monolayer. The glycerophospholipids of the L-cell were hydrolyzed to lysophosphatides and free fatty acids. Concomitantly, there was a loss of membrane integrity as shown by release of lactate dehydrogenase and 86Rb and permeability to trypan blue dye. No glycerophospholipid hydrolysis or cytotoxicity occurred when the rickettsiae were inactivated by heat, UV irradiation, N-ethylmaleimide, or metabolic inhibitors before their addition to the L-929 cells. On the other hand, treatment of the L929 cells with the cytoskeleton agents colchicine or cytochalasin B or with N-ethylmaleimide inhibited neither the phospholipase A activity nor the loss of membrane integrity. Cytochalasin B-treated cells could be damaged by even small numbers of rickettsiae. We suggest that this phospholipase A activity is used by the rickettsiae to escape from the phagosomes into the cytoplasm of host cells.

• Research Organization: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile
• OSTI ID: 6430185
• Journal Information: Infect. Immun.; (United States), Vol. 38:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
LIPASE
ENZYME ACTIVITY
RICKETTSIAE
INFECTIVITY
RUBIDIUM 86
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
CELL CULTURES
CELL MEMBRANES
PERMEABILITY
RICKETTSIAL DISEASES
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBOXYLESTERASES
CELL CONSTITUENTS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISEASES
ENZYMES
ESTERASES
HYDROLASES
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MEMBRANES
MICROORGANISMS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
RUBIDIUM ISOTOPES
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550901 - Pathology- Tracer Techniques
550201 - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques