Vacuolating, lethal, collagenase and clostripain activities of six reference ATCC Clostridium histolyticum strains

Abstract

We have previously demonstrated that C. histolyticum reference strain ATCC 19401 produces not only lethal factor but also hitherto unrecognized vacuolating toxin. The aim of this study was to compare vacuolating and lethal activities of six reference C. histolyticum strains (ATCC 6282, 8034, 17859, 17860, 19401 and 25770) and to determine whether production of vacuolating toxin is strain-dependent and how the amounts of both toxins produced by the same strain are related to each other and also to protease, collagenase and clostripain activities. All strains produced vacuolating and lethal toxins as well as collagenase, clostripain and proteases, but with different yield. Strain ATCC 19401 demonstrated considerable vacuolating and lethal activities and low activity of collagenase, clostripain and proteases. In other strains such relationship was not evident. Positive correlations were observed in collagenase and clostripain activities of all studied C. histolyticum strains (r = 0.71). Positive correlations were detected also in vacuolating activities of studied strains and clostripain (r = 0.62) and collagenase (r = 0.87) production, and this effect was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Negative non-significant correlations were detected: (a) in lethal activities of studied strains and clostripain, or collagenase activities, (b) in vacuolating activities and protease production.