Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Exfoliatins”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1977

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome I. Purification of exfoliatin and maternal transmission of neutralizing ability against exfoliatin.

Exfoliatin, an exotoxin produced by phage group 2 staphylococci, was separated and was analyzed. The toxin was separated in a single peak by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and subsequent DEAE Sephadex chromatography. By acrylamide gel disc electrophoresis this single peak was found to contain 2 components both of which posessed exfoliative activity and the same antigenic properties. Their molecular weight, however, differed; the major component had a molecular weight of 30,000 and the minor component had 27,000. The toxin was stable when heated at 60 degrees C for 40 minutes, and labile at 100 degrees C for 20 minutes. The toxin was immunogenic to mice and produced antibody which could be transmitted to neonatal mice to neutralize exfoliative activity of the toxin. Innoculation of the bacteria caused the production of antibodies against both exfoliatin and alpha-hemolysin in mice. The antibodies were also transmitted to neonatal mice to neutralize the exfoliative activity of exfoliatin.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Subcutaneous multiplication of exfoliatin-producing staphylococci.

After subcutaneous inoculation of approximately 10(6) cocci, changes in staphylococcal populations were followed by the enumeration of organisms in excised tissues. In contrast to conventionaal Staphylococcus aureus strains, exfoliatin-producing strains were able to multiply in the subcutaneous tissues of neonatal and adult mice. Although strains capable of producing large quantities of exfoliatin were better able to proliferate than strains producing lesser amounts of toxin, it was not determined whether exfoliatin was directly responsible for the observed multiplication. Two variants exhibiting a partial loss in exfoliatin production showed minor changes in proliferative capability. A third strain, after being cured of its exfoliatin plasmid, manifested a marked reduction in exfoliatin production and was unable to multiply subcutaneously. With some strains multiplication proceeded for several hours but was then followed by a decline in the number of viable organisms. Histological sections of subcutaneous lesions revealed a rapid influx of neutrophils, but leukocytes accumulated in the region regardless of whether the organisms multiplied or were eliminated.

Animals↗
PubMed1974

New type of exfoliatin obtained from staphylococcal strains, belonging to phage groups other than group II, isolated from patients with impetigo and Ritter's disease.

Four strains of Staphylococcus aureus of a phage type other than the second group, isolated from patients with impetigo and Ritter's disease, were found to produce an exotoxin similar to those reported by Melish et al. (1972), Kapral and Miller (1971), and Arbuthnott et al. (1973). This toxin could elicit a general exfoliation of the epidermis with the so-called Nikolsky sign when subcutaneously inoculated into neonatal mice within 4 days after birth. The new toxin was serologically different from exfoliatin produced by the phage group II staphylococci previously reported (Kondo et al., 1973) and showed an electrophoretic pattern corresponding to that of the B-type toxin of the latter in acrylamide disc electrophoresis. It had the same molecular weight as that of the latter, which was estimated to be about 24,000. It was thermolabile and lost its toxic activity by heating at 60 C for 30 min; in addition, most of the toxicity was lost within 1 month of storage even at -30 C. We propose to designate the old typical heat-stable exfoliatin as S. aureus exfoliatin A and the new heat-susceptible exfoliatin as S. aureus exfoliatin B.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Two serotypes of exfoliatin and their distribution in staphylococcal strains isolated from patients with scalded skin syndrome.

Two serotypes of exfoliatin, A and B, previously reported by Kondo et al. (1974) were examined for their presence in 43 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, most of which were isolated from patients with Ritter's disease and impetigo. The tested strains consisted of 24 strains of phage group II and 19 strains not of phage group II. Twenty-four strains were found to produce an exfoliatin of either type A or type B, but 16 strains produced both types and 3 strains produced neither. No relationship was found between the serotype of an exfoliatin and the phage type of the exfoliative strain, although the single producers of exfoliatin A were all found to belong to phage group II and those of exfoliatin B to the other phage group.

Bacteriophage Typing↗
PubMed1988

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in two immunocompetent adults caused by exfoliatin B-producing Staphylococcus aureus.

An exfoliatin B-producing strain of Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from two adults with typical staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS). One patient developed desquamation after a local staphylococcal infection of the hand, and the other developed exfoliation after nosocomially acquired staphylococcal endocarditis. Neither patient was immunocompromised, had evidence of renal insufficiency, or manifested other potential risk factors for SSSS. Purified toxin, isolated from the causative organisms, produced a Nikolsky sign in neonatal mice. The toxins were shown to be exfoliatin B by biochemical and immunologic methods and heretofore had been described only in children with SSSS. Analysis of plasmid DNAs from both strains revealed a 23-megadalton plasmid with identical restriction endonuclease digestion fragments. One isolate belonged to phage group II (3B/3C/6/7/47/54/55), whereas the other isolate belonged to phage groups I and III (7/29/52/52A/53/54/80). The observation that a non-phage group II exfoliatin-producing strain of S. aureus may produce SSSS in adults indicates the need to better define the diagnostic criteria for SSSS. Immunocompetent adults may remain susceptible to some strains of exfoliatin B-producing S. aureus.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMed1982

[Exfoliatin in neonatal staphylococcal infections].

An outbreak of staphylococcal skin infection in neonates was investigated clinically, bacteriologically and epidemiologically with the following findings: (1) In 8 out of 13 cases, exfoliatin-producing staphylococci were present in the bullae, which is unusual with bullous lesions occurring at other ages; (2) exfoliatin producing staphylococci were present in all children with bullous lesions, as well as in carriers; (3) 39% of the phage II group staphylococci studied produced exfoliatin; (4) purulent lesions due to phage II staphylococci which did not produce exfoliatin were observed. The contaminating agent could be identified in most cases.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

The fate of Staphylococcal exfoliatin in newborn and adult mice.

The distribution and excretion of the staphylococcal exfoliatin was investigated following in vivo administration of highly purified 125I-labelled exfoliatin fractions to adult and newborn mice. Adult mice excrete approximately one-third of a test dose by 3 hours as compared to a fifteenth of a test dose excreted by newborn mice. Accordingly, blood tracer radioactivity reaches a relatively higher peak and shows a slower decline in newborns than in adults. The urine of adult mice contains considerable biologically active exfoliating material. Both nephrectomized and carbon tetrachloride-poisoned adult mice injected with exfoliatin develop generalized exfoliation whereas comparable doses in untreated controls have no effect. On the other hand, subtotal hepatectomy, followed by injection of exfoliatin, does not lead to exfoliation. We conclude that renal immaturity is a critical factor responsible for the susceptibility of neonates to generalized staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1972

Neutralization of Staphylococcus aureus exfoliatin by antibody.

Alum-precipitated exfoliatin was found to be an efficient antigen for eliciting high titers of neutralizing antibody in rabbits. Antitoxin thus produced, and transferred passively, was shown to protect neonatal mice against challenge with two to three lethal doses of preformed exfoliatin even when administration was delayed until 15 min before exfoliation began in control animals. The same dose of antitoxin afforded some protection against six to eight lethal doses of exfoliatin provided it was given before or at the time of challenge. Antitoxin, in the doses given, did not protect against infection with an exfoliatin-producing Staphylococcus aureus strain although the onset of exfoliation was delayed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prevalence of exfoliatin-producing strains in phage group II "Staphylococcus aureus" (author's transl)].

Prevalence of exfoliatin production has been investigated in 100 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, bacteriophage group II, by inoculation into newborn mice. Serotyping, detection of protein A and antibiotic susceptibility tests have also been performed. Thirty-one strains (31%) were toxin producers; they all produced a yellow pigment; there was no difference in phage attacks between toxinogenic and non-toxinogenic strains; but exfoliatin production was significantly associated to the presence of agglutinogens h2 and 263-2; rate of protein-A presence and of antibiotic susceptibility did not differ between the two groups of strains. In addition, toxin production has been investigated in 31 isolates from various skin lesions; 9 were found toxinogenic (8 amongst them had been cultivated from bullous lesions); most of them belonged to phage group II and possessed agglutinogens h2 and 263-2. So, in order to carry out the diagnosis of some bacterial skin infections, clinical symptoms, pathological and bacteriological data must be compared; the latter must include phage-typing, serotyping and exfoliatin detection.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1979

Levels of exfoliatin antitoxin in pooled human serum globulin.

The potential value of human serum globulin for treatment of patients with the staphylococcal scalded-skin syndrome was determined by measuring the exfoliatin antitoxin content of globulin pools. Of 16 lots tested, only four had detectable antitoxin activity, and in these the levels were minimal. These findings suggest that pooled serum globulin is not a practical source of exfoliatin antitoxin.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. II. Serum level of anti exfoliatin and anti alpha-toxin in patients with staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome or bullous impetigo.

In order to study the differences between staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) and bullous impetigo, the anti exfoliatin level was assessed in the sera from both groups of patients, and no significant difference in the level was found. However a significant difference was noted in the anti alpha-toxin levels in sera from both group of patients; that of SSSS patients was much lower than that of impetigo patients and of children in a control group. Five out of 6 patients with SSSS showed an unchaged level of anti alpha-toxin at the second examination, while an increased anti exfoliatin level was noted in 4 out of 6 SSSS patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1983

New possibilities of staphylococcin detection in the exfoliatin-producing strains of staphylococcus aureus.

C. renale was found to be highly sensitive to the effect of bacteriocin produced by the exfoliatin-positive strains of S. aureus. The sensitivity of other indicator organisms used was determined through descending series of C. pseudodiphtheriticum, C. diphtheriae, S. aureus strains Oxford 209P, UT 0017, and Wood 46. Strains of C. pyogenes only produced contradictory results which made any satisfactory interpretation impossible. A modification of the simultaneous bacteriocin-detection method of exfoliatin-positive S. aureus strains, which use suspension of an indicator strain in nutrient agar to obtain lawn homogeneity, has been employed. The use of the modified method together with C. renale to serve as the indicator strain represents a rapid and reliable test suitable for routine diagnostics.

Agar↗
PubMed2000

Exfoliatin-producing strains define a fourth agr specificity group in Staphylococcus aureus.

The staphylococcal virulon is activated by the density-sensing agr system, which is autoinduced by a short peptide (autoinducing peptide [AIP]) processed from a propeptide encoded by agrD. A central segment of the agr locus, consisting of the C-terminal two-thirds of AgrB (the putative processing enzyme), AgrD, and the N-terminal half of AgrC (the receptor), shows striking interstrain variation. This finding has led to the division of Staphylococcus aureus isolates into three different agr specificity groups and to the division of non-aureus staphylococci into a number of others. The AIPs cross-inhibit the agr responses between groups. We have previously shown that most menstrual toxic shock strains belong to agr specificity group III but that no strong clinical identity has been associated with strains of the other two groups. In the present report, we demonstrate a fourth agr specificity group among S. aureus strains and show that most exfoliatin-producing strains belong to this group. A striking common feature of group IV strains is activation of the agr response early in exponential phase, at least 2 h earlier than in strains of the other groups. This finding raises the question of the biological significance of the agr autoinduction threshold.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Importance of exfoliatin toxin A production by Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from clustered epidemics of neonatal pustulosis.

Clustered epidemics of pustulosis due to Staphylococcus aureus occurred in two geographically distant newborn nurseries. In nurseries A and B an attack rate of pustulosis of 0.8 and 2.0 cases per 100 live births occurred, respectively. Experimental phage type 1046/1116 belonging to phage group II dominated clustered epidemics in nursery A, while group II phage type 3A/3C/55/71 and 3A/3C/55 occurred in nursery B. Other group II strains also occasionally produced clustered epidemics. These epidemic strains were found to be making heat-stable dermal exfoliatin toxin A (ETA) which had a pI of 6.8 and a molecular weight of 32,000 and 33,000. ETA-bearing strains did not make bacteriocin. Children infected with ETA-producing strains developed extensive bullous pustulosis. Surveillance cultures of personnel revealed an ETA-bearing strain in only one person. This strain was not the same phage type as the epidemic cluster. In contrast, ETA-bearing epidemic strains were found in the inanimate environment of both nurseries. ETA protein acts as an important virulence factor in the production of neonatal pustulosis infection and appears to be linked with the ability of S. aureus organisms to stick to the inanimate environment.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Use of cultured epidermis of human origin for demonstrating the acantholytic action of staphylococcal exfoliatin A].

Cultured human epithelia obtained from epidermal cells in vitro were used to assay the activity of staphylococcal epidermolytic toxin and develop an in vitro experimental model for the staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. Human epidermal cells were grown from single epidermal cell suspensions obtained through trypsinization of adult normal skin into multilayered epithelia (with a basal cell layer, several intermediate and one or two upper layers) on mouse 3T3 feeder cells. First passage cultures were incubated with exfoliative toxin A from phage Group II staphylococci at various concentrations in DMEM. They were examined at various time intervals by direct microscopic and histological examination of respectively the culture plates or the epidermal sheets after their detachment from the plates with dispase grad II. A total exfoliation could be obtained at 24 hour at concentrations of Img and 500 micrograms/ml, only local areas of epidermolysis noted at 100 micrograms/ml. The intraepithelial separation was noted to occur between the basal layer and the lowest intermediate layer. No exfoliation could be observed at lower concentrations. Up to 4-5 hours few changes were evident, but at this time small areas of epidermolysis developed. With exfoliatin 100 micrograms/ml, intraepidermal blisters were clearly visible, occurring either between the basal cells and the lowest intermediate layer or between the first two intermediate cell layers. At the ultrastructural level, desmosomes were sparse and altered, with enlargement of the intercellular spaces and condensation of tonofilaments. These data indicate that human epidermal cell cultures, although their differentiation in culture only mimics what occurs in vivo, can be used as an in vitro model of the staphylococcal TEN to further investigate the site of action of such a toxin and the cellular mechanism responsible for the syndrome.

Adult↗