Activation of Heat-labile Escherichia coli enterotoxin by trypsin

Foodborne enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli: from gut pathogenesis to new preventive strategies involving probiotics

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are a major cause of traveler's diarrhea and infant mortality in developing countries. Given the rise of antibiotic resistance worldwide, there is an urgent need for the development of new preventive strategies. Among them, a promising approach is the use of probiotics. Although many studies, mostly performed under piglet digestive conditions, have shown the beneficial effects of probiotics on ETEC by interfering with their survival, virulence or adhesion to mucosa, underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This review describes ETEC pathogenesis, its modulation by human gastrointestinal cues as well as novel preventive strategies with a particular emphasis on probiotics. The potential of in vitro models simulating human digestion in elucidating probiotic mode of action will be discussed.

Nicking sites in a subunit of cholera toxin and Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin for Vibrio cholerae hemagglutinin/protease

We analyzed the nicking site of the A subunit of Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin for hemagglutinin/protease produced by Vibrio cholerae non-O1 (NAG-HA/P). The determined nicking site was the Thr193-Ile194 junction, which was distinct from that for a protease of V. cholerae (Ichinose et al., European Journal of Epidemiology 8, 743-747, 1992). We further analyzed proteolytic cleavage by NAG-HA/P of a synthetic peptide corresponding to the nicking region of cholera toxin A subunit and determined the cleavage site to be preferentially between Ser194 and Met195, and in addition between Ser193 and Ser194.

Escherichia coli LT enterotoxin subunit A demonstrates partial toxicity independent of the nicking around Arg192

A study was conducted into whether or not nicking of the A subunit of Escherichia coli LT enterotoxin at position Arg192 or its neighbouring amino acids Arg192 to The195 is required for its toxicity. The toxic activity of mutants created by substitution or deletion at this position, which lacked ADP-ribosyltransferase activity in vitro, was not completely obliterated and cyclic AMP was partially induced in the target cells, showing that they still displayed enzymic activity in vivo. Moreover, although the A subunit possesses three potential sites for cleavage by furin, furin was not involved in the partial toxicity and cyclic AMP induction observed. These data suggest that target cells have a nick mechanism that operates at sites other than those around Arg192 or those recognized by furin, which generates an active fragment by processing the A subunit after toxin binding to the cell membrane.

Role of trypsin-like cleavage at arginine 192 in the enzymatic and cytotonic activities of Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin

Previous studies of cholera toxin and Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin have suggested that proteolytic cleavage plays an important role in the expression of ADP-ribosyltransferase activity and toxicity. Specifically, several studies have implicated a trypsin-like cleavage at arginine 192, which lies within an exposed region subtended by a disulfide bond in the intact A subunit, in toxicity. To investigate the role of this modification in the enzymatic and cytotonic properties of heat-labile enterotoxin, the response of purified, recombinant A subunit to tryptic activation and the effect of substituting arginine 192 with glycine on the activities of the holotoxin were examined. The recombinant A subunit of heat-labile enterotoxin exhibited significant levels of ADP-ribosyltransferase activity that were only nominally increased (approximately twofold) by prior limited trypsinolysis. The enzymatic activity also did not appear to be affected by auto-ADP-ribosylation that occurs during the high-level synthesis of the recombinant A subunit in E. coli. A mutant form of the holotoxin containing the arginine 192-to-glycine substitution exhibited levels of cytotonic activity for CHO cells that were similar to that of the untreated, wild-type holotoxin but exhibited a marked delay in the ability to increase intracellular levels of cyclic AMP in Caco-2 cells. The results indicate that trypsin-like cleavage of the A subunit of E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin at arginine 192 is not requisite to the expression of enzymatic activity by the A subunit and further reveal that this modification, although it enhances the biological and enzymatic activities of the toxin, is not absolutely required for the enterotoxin to elicit cytotonic effects.

The protease from Vibrio cholerae nicks arginine at position 192 from the N-terminus of the heat-labile enterotoxin a subunit from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

It was examined where a protease purified from Vibrio cholerae might nick the heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) A subunit from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. LT was digested by the protease and contained a fragment which had the same mobility on SDS-PAGE as that of the A1 fragment of LT digested by trypsin. The biological activity of LT by this protease was also identical to that of LT by trypsin. The amino acid sequence of the N-terminus of the A2-like fragment was Thr-Ser-Thr-Gly, which corresponded to the sequence from 193 to 196 of the A subunit. These data suggest that this protease, like trypsin, nicks arginine at position 192 from the N-terminus of the A subunit and that the biological activation of LT by this protease is similar to that by trypsin.

Immunogenic and antigenic characteristics of Salmonella heat-labile enterotoxin

The intramuscular immunization of rabbits with enterotoxin of S. weltevreden failed to provide protection against challenges with homologous Salmonella enterotoxin as well as heterologous enterotoxins (cholera toxin or E. coli LT). Similar results were obtained in rabbits immunized with cholera toxin, choleragenoid and E. coli LT. However, Salmonella antitoxin contained neutralizing antibodies against Salmonella enterotoxin (but not against cholera toxin) and thus was capable of neutralizing Salmonella enterotoxin when tested for skin permeability reaction. Immunodiffusion experiments showed that antitoxin prepared against the enterotoxin of one of the strains of S. weltevreden formed precipitin bands with enterotoxin preparations of 5 strains of S. weltevreden and 2 strains of S. anatum. However, Salmonella antitoxin failed to form precipitin bands with enterotoxins of other heterologous Salmonella species (S. dublin, S. enteritidis, S. hindmarsh and S. newport), cholera toxin and E. coli LT. The immunoelectrophoretic studies corroborated the results obtained by double immunodiffusion experiments. However, both Salmonella and cholera toxins migrated electrophoretically toward the cathode and resembled globulin in this respect. Salmonella enterotoxin, though immunogenic, yet proved unprotective through the parenteral route and appears to be antigenically distinct from cholera and E. coli enterotoxins.

Comparison of effects of nicked and unnicked Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin on Chinese hamster ovary cells

The effect on nicking (proteolytic cleavage) of heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) on its activities on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was examined. LT nicked with trypsin induced morphological change (elongation) of CHO cells from round to spindle-shaped cells faster than did unnicked LT. The times for elongation of 50% of the CHO cells with nicked and unnicked LT were 3 and 6 h, respectively. The activity of nicked LT on CHO cells was not inhibited by antiserum 20 min after treatment, whereas that of unnicked LT was inhibited by antiserum until ca. 130 to 160 min after treatment. These data suggest that unnicked LT remains on the cell surface longer than nicked LT and thus induces morphological changes of CHO cells more slowly than does nicked LT.

Molecular heterogeneity of heat-labile enterotoxins from human and porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

The heat-labile enterotoxins produced by human enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (LTh) and porcine enterotoxigenic E. coli (LTp) were purified to homogeneity, and their molecular properties were compared with those of purified cholera enterotoxin (CT). On polyacrylamide gel disk electrophoresis without sodium dodecyl sulfate, LTh, LTp, and CT differed in mobility, suggesting differences in their ionic charges. The pI values of LTh, LTp, and CT were 7.50, 8.10, and 6.80, respectively. On sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel slab electrophoresis, the B subunit and A1 and A2 fragments of LTh, LTp, and CT differed in mobility, suggesting that they differed in molecular size. Their molecular sizes seemed to decrease in the following order: B subunit, LTh greater than LTp congruent to CT; A1 fragment, LTp greater than LTh congruent to CT; A2 fragment, LTh congruent to CT greater than LTp. Amino acid compositions of LTh, LTp, and CT were also compared.

In vitro formation of hybrid toxins between subunits of Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin and those of cholera enterotoxin

Heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) was purified from cells of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from a patient with traveller's diarrhea. Purified LT was separated into A and B subunits by treatment with 6 M urea solution in 0.1 M propionic acid (pH 4.0). Biologically active toxin was reconstituted from isolated A and B subunits of LT. Hybrid toxins with biological activity were obtained in vitro from the A subunit of cholera enterotoxin and B subunit of LT, and from the A subunit of LT and B subunit of cholera enterotoxin. The hybrid toxins show a similar toxicity to that of the parent toxins from which the A subunits were derived. The in vitro formations of the hybrid toxins were confirmed by polyacrylamide gel disk electrophoresis.

Mechanism of action of choleragen

Choleragen exerts its effect on cells through activation of adenylate cyclase. Choleragen initially interacts with cells through binding of the B subunit of the toxin to the ganglioside GM1 on the cell surface. Subsequent events are less clear. Patching or capping of toxin on the cell surface may be an obligatory step in choleragen action. Studies in cell-free systems have demonstrated that activation of adenylate cyclase by choleragen requires NAD. In addition to NAD, requirements have been observed for ATP, GTP, and calcium-dependent regulatory protein. GTP also is required for the expression of choleragen-activated adenylate cyclase. In preparations from turkey erythrocytes, choleragen appears to inhibit an isoproterenol-stimulated GTPase. It has been postulated that by decreasing the activity of a specific GTPase, choleragen would stabilize a GTP-adenylate cyclase complex and maintain the cyclase in an activated state. Although the holotoxin is most effective in intact cells, with the A subunit having 1/20th of its activity and the B subunit (choleragenoid) being inactive, in cell-free systems the A subunit, specifically the A1 fragment, is required for adenylate cyclase activation. The B protomer is inactive. Choleragen, the A subunit, or A1 fragment under suitable conditions hydrolyzes NAD to ADP-ribose and nicotinamide (NAD glycohydrolase activity) and catalyzes the transfer of the ADP-ribose moiety of NAD to the guandino group of arginine (ADP-ribosyltransferase activity). The NAD glycohydrolase activity is similar to that exhibited by other NAD-dependent bacterial toxins (diphtheria toxin, Pseudomonas exotoxin A), which act by catalyzing the ADP-ribosylation of a specific acceptor protein. If the ADP-ribosylation of arginine is a model for the reaction catalyzed by choleragen in vivo, then arginine is presumably an analog of the amino acid which is ADP-ribosylated in the acceptor protein. It is postulated that choleragen exerts its effects on cells through the NAD-dependent ADP-ribosylation of an arginine or similar amino acid in either the cyclase itself or a regulatory protein of the cyclase system.