Cytotoxic activity in broth-culture filtrates of Campylobacter pylori

TLDR

The relevance of this factor to gastritis pathogenesis remains to be determined. Intestine 407 cells were the most responsive and were used for routine cytotoxicity assays. Broth‑culture filtrates of *C.

Abstract

SUMMARY Broth-culture filtrates of Campylobacter pylori induced non-lethal cytopathic effects in vitro in 7 of 9 mammalian cell lines tested. Transmission electronmicroscopy revealed that the response consisted of intracellular vacuolisation. Intestine 407 cells were among the most responsive and were used for routine assay. About 55% of isolates of C. pylori tested, originating from four geographic regions worldwide, produced cytotoxic activity. The activity was neutralisable by specific antisera to broth-culture filtrates or to sonicated bacteria but not by antisera to other bacterial preparations. Cytotoxic activity was heat-labile (70°C for 30 min), was protease-sensitive and ammonium-sulphate precipitable. It did not pass through an ultrafiltration membrane with a nominal mol.-wt limit of 100 × 103. It was concluded that C. pylori can produce a factor that alters cultured cells in vitro. The relevance of this factor to the pathogenesis of gastritis associated with C. pylori remains to be determined.