Differentiation Between Certain Toxic Properties of Filtrates of Hemolytic Staphylococcus Aureus

Abstract

1. Sterile filtrates from certain hemotoxic strains of Staphylococcus aureus have several toxic properties, of which the most important are the hemotoxic, the necrotoxic, the leucocidic and the property of killing rapidly. 2. The necrotoxic action appears to be caused by a constituent in the filtrates different from either the hemotoxic or the leucocidic one.

The Bicomponent Pore-Forming Leucocidins of Staphylococcus aureus

“…Similarly, Julianelle performed studies aimed at correlating leukocidal activity with hemolytic activity within a series of strains and found that in a number of instances, the activities of hemolysin and leucocidin did not coincide with one another (46). As the 20th century progressed, however, more detailed investigations, including those by Weld and Gunther, were unable to conclusively validate whether the S. aureus hemolysin (now referred to as alpha-hemolysin) and leucocidin exert functions independently of one another (49,50). Many researchers were unable to reproduce the adsorption studies of Neisser and Wechsberg, and the conjecture that alpha-hemolysin and leucocidin were independent substances remained dubious at best (48,50,51).…”

“…As the 20th century progressed, however, more detailed investigations, including those by Weld and Gunther, were unable to conclusively validate whether the S. aureus hemolysin (now referred to as alpha-hemolysin) and leucocidin exert functions independently of one another (49,50). Many researchers were unable to reproduce the adsorption studies of Neisser and Wechsberg, and the conjecture that alpha-hemolysin and leucocidin were independent substances remained dubious at best (48,50,51). Much of the reason for the difficulty in deciphering functional differences between alpha-hemolysin and leucocidin would not be appreciated until much later, when the regulatory com- leukocytes (macrophages and neutrophils) and light microscopy (LM) images of the human T cell line HUT-R5 (cell line overexpressing CCR5) after exposure to a 90% lethal dose of LukED (5 g/ml).…”

Food Poisoning: An Analysis of Staphylococcal Toxins

“…Some authors, for example Leonard & Holm (1935), have stated that the inactivation of lytic properties also destroys any demonecrotic capacity. Others offer evidence to show that the use of erythrocyte stroma to adsorb alpha-lysin from a filtrate removes lytic capacity but does not interfere with the dermonecrotic potentiality (Weld & Gunther, 1931). This illustrates a basis for a second opinion that the lytic properties of the alphalysin we caused by a substance distinct from that, which causes dermonecrosis.…”

The Characterization of Staphylococcal Toxins

“…Activities.--Several workers have presented evidence for (25)(26)(27) and against (13,19,28) the contention that the leucocidin of Neisser and Wechsberg represents a fourth activity of alpha hemolysin. The results presented in Table V and Fig.…”