Actin polymerization enhances Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxicity

Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin is cytotoxic to bovine leukocytes, causing increased cell membrane permeability, osmotic swelling, release of cytosolic proteins and cell lysis. These studies were designed to test if leukotoxin causes release of the cytoskeletal protein, actin, from bovine leukemia cells and if purified actin-influenced bacterial growth or leukotoxin production. Culture supernatants caused a 7-fold decrease in viability of bovine leukemia cells and increased cell permeability that was accompanied by release of beta-actin into the cell culture supernatant. Exposing P. haemolytica to purified actin solutions induced the conversion of monomeric G-actin to polymerized F-actin. This conversion was partially inhibited by bovine P. haemolytica immune, but not pre-immune, serum. Loss of streptomycin resistance following treatment of the organism with acridine orange ablated the polymerizing activity. Incubation of P. haemolytica in the presence of purified F-actin did not affect growth but resulted in culture supernatant that had 3.0-3.9-fold greater leukotoxicity compared to medium alone or medium containing G-actin, heat-denatured actin or albumin. The effect of actin on leukotoxicity was concentration-dependent and directly associated with increases in secreted leukotoxin. The interaction between P. haemolytica and actin is potentially detrimental to the host by inducing polymerization of actin into insoluble filaments and by enhancing leukotoxicity.     

Interaction of bovine neutrophils in Pasteurella haemolytica mediated damage to pulmonary endothelial cells

The purpose of these studies was to determine mechanisms of pulmonary tissue damage mediated by Pasteurella haemolytica and interaction with bovine neutrophils. Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cell monolayers were treated with various combinations of P. haemolytica factors including bacterial culture supernatant (CS) and purified LPS, with and without bovine neutrophils. Damage to endothelial cells was monitored by 51Cr release, cell detachment rate, and morphological changes. At 5 h post-treatment (PT) bacterial factors produced very little toxic change in cells, however, by 22 h PT both crude leukotoxin and LPS caused high levels of cytotoxicity and detachment. Neutrophils did not augment toxicity mediated by LPS, but actually protected endothelial cells from low levels of LPS. When the LPS component of CS was neutralized with polymyxin B, leukotoxin mediated neutrophil killing resulted in extensive endothelial cell damage. These results suggest that LPS may directly injure endothelial cells and this toxic effect may be reduced by neutrophils. However, neutrophil killing by leukotoxin may also contribute to endothelial cell damage in the absence of LPS.     

Effects of Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxic culture supernatant on bovine neutrophil aggregation.

Pasteurella haemolytica A1 leukotoxic culture supernatant was evaluated for its ability to cause aggregation of bovine peripheral neutrophils. Neutrophils were isolated by a hypotonic lysis method and incubated with zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP), leukotoxic culture supernatant, antileukotoxin serum, calcium and magnesium-free media, p-bromophenacyl bromide and protein kinase C inhibitors. Aggregation was evaluated by changes in infrared light transmittance. Leukotoxic culture supernatant caused neutrophils to aggregate, and this effect was significantly removed by preincubation with antileukotoxin serum. Aggregation to ZAP and leukotoxin was dependent on the presence of extra-cellular calcium. Activation of protein kinase C by phorbol myristate acetate induced aggregation which was reduced by staurosporine; however, aggregation to leukotoxin did not involve protein kinase C activation. Phospholipase A2 inhibition did not alter the aggregation response to ZAP or to leukotoxin. The in vitro measurement of neutrophil aggregation induced by the leukotoxin of P. haemolytica reflects cytoskeletal and other activation events that may contribute to the intense inflammatory process which this organism induces in the lungs of cattle.     

Effects of Pasteurella haemolytica A1 leukotoxin on bovine neutrophils: degranulation and generation of oxygen-derived free radicals.

To further define the role of Pasteurella haemolytica A1 leukotoxin in the pathogenesis of bovine pneumonic pasteurellosis, its in vitro effects on bovine neutrophils were investigated. Leukotoxin-containing culture supernatant, from P. haemolytica, stimulated a neutrophil respiratory burst as measured by the generation of oxygen-derived free radicals O2- and H2O2. This effect was immediate because preincubation of neutrophils with the culture supernatant for 5 min or longer substantially suppressed this respiratory burst. This suppression was due to cytolysis of the neutrophils. Prolonged incubation of neutrophils with the same culture supernatant caused further cytolysis and degranulation. Heat-inactivated P. haemolytica culture supernatant that had lost its cytotoxic properties failed to stimulate respiratory burst by neutrophils. Furthermore, the respiratory burst, cytolysis and degranulation were abrogated only by leukotoxin-neutralizing monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, but not by antibodies against the lipopolysaccharide. These studies show that the leukotoxin component in the culture supernatant was responsible for the generation of oxygen-derived free radicals and proteolytic enzymes from neutrophils which may participate in direct lung injury.     

Effects of Pasteurella haemolytica A1 culture supernatant on mechanisms controlling bovine alveolar macrophage oxygen radical production.

Pasteurella haemolytica A1 culture supernatant containing leukotoxin, and modifiers of cyclic nucleotide and arachidonate metabolism, were evaluated for their ability to alter oxygen radical production by pulmonary alveolar macrophages obtained from seven Holstein calves. Calves were sedated, and underwent bronchoalveolar lavage to harvest macrophages, which were then incubated with culture supernatant and/or the drugs and toxins under study, and challenged with opsonized zymosan to induce oxygen radical generation. This was measured by a chemiluminescence technique. Pasteurella haemolytica A1 culture supernatant alone delayed the time to maximum oxygen radical production, although total production was increased. The cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin and the phospholipase inhibitor p-bromophenacyl bromide significantly reduced maximum oxygen radical production, but their effects were diminished in the presence of culture supernatant. Although forskolin markedly inhibited oxygen radical generation, this effect was not altered by culture supernatant. Incubation of macrophages with pertussis toxin had no effect on oxygen radical production, while incubation with cholera toxin did inhibit production. This inhibitory effect was significantly lessened by concurrent incubation with P. haemolytica A1 culture supernatant.     

Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin: physicochemical characteristics and susceptibility of leukotoxin to enzymatic treatment

Sterile, concentrated culture supernatant from Pasteurella haemolytica (biotype A, serotype 1) strain 630 was subjected to physical, chemical, and immunologic treatments to determine their influence on leukotoxin (cytotoxin) activity contained in the supernatant. Each treated sample contained approximately 8 chemiluminescence inhibitory units of leukotoxin. Treatment effects were evaluated for their ability to inactivate leukotoxin activity. Leukotoxin activity in treated samples was determined by inhibition of the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence response of bovine neutrophils. Optimal leukotoxin synthesis by P haemolytica occurred when the bacteria were at the logarithmic growth phase, whereas stationary phase cultures contained minimal amounts of leukotoxin activity in their culture supernatant. Leukotoxin activity was heat labile; activity was substantially decreased when concentrated culture supernatant samples containing leukotoxin activity were incubated at 37 C for several hours. When concentrated culture supernatant was incubated at progressively decreasing temperatures, there was a progressive increase in the length of time that the leukotoxin retained its biologic activity. Samples stored at -70 C retained activity for at least 2 months. Leukotoxin activity was nondialyzable and was able to withstand considerable extremes in hydrogen ion concentration. Leukotoxin activity could not be pelleted when subjected to forces of 100,000 X g for 1 hour. Chemical and enzymatic studies suggested that P haemolytica leukotoxin contained carbohydrate and protein moieties. Chemical treatment with 0.2% sodium lauryl sulfate, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate, 7.5 mM EDTA and 8M urea with 8 mM 2-mercaptoethanol and enzymatic treatment with lipase, ribonuclease, and deoxyribonuclease had no discernible effect on leukotoxin activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Pneumonic pasteurellosis: examination of typable and untypable Pasteurella haemolytica strains for leukotoxin production, plasmid content, and antimicrobial susceptibility

Plasmid DNA screening experiments were conducted to determine whether a relationship existed between the presence of plasmids and antibiotic resistance in Pasteurella haemolytica or the capability to produce hemolysin or leukotoxin (cytotoxin). Regardless of plasmid content, all P haemolytica isolates produced characteristic hemolysis on blood agar plates. Similarly, standardized suspensions of living bacteria and sterile concentrated (approx 200:1) culture supernatant from strains representing each of the 15 recognized P haemolytica serotypes and 7 field strains of P haemolytica (biotype A, serotype 1) produced leukotoxin, which was detected by their capability to cause inhibition of the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence response of bovine neutrophils. However, neither living bacterial suspensions nor concentrated culture supernatant from 4 untypable P haemolytica strains or a P multocida strain caused an inhibition of the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence response. The production of neither hemolysin nor leukotoxin by P haemolytica seemed to be plasmid mediated. Leukotoxin production is apparently a stable phenotypic characteristic of pathogenic P haemolytica strains, and the gene(s) coding for this activity is probably located on the bacterial host chromosome. Antibiotic susceptibility profiles were determined for the different bacterial strains. Studies of ampicillin and penicillin resistance in 8 P haemolytica (biotype A, serotype 1) strains provided evidence that the plasmid, with size of approximately 5,200 base pairs, may code for their resistance to these compounds.     

Chemotactic response of bovine neutrophils to Pasteurella haemolytica culture fluid

Bovine neutrophil chemotactic activity was detected in the supernatant fluid of logarithmic phase cultures of P. haemolytica serotype 1. The chemoattractant was produced under culture conditions suitable for P. haemolytica leukotoxin production. An inverse correlation existed between the leukotoxin LC50 and the chemotactic activity in the culture fluid. Elimination of leukotoxin activity by heating, dilution or ultrafiltration, exposed the chemotactic activity in the culture fluid. The chemoattractant was partially resistant to heating (60 degrees C, 30 min), and had an apparent molecular weight greater than 100,000. Detection of chemotactic activity in both the concentrate and filtrate after XM300 filtration suggested that there might be more than one component with chemotactic activity or else that polymerization was occurring. Production of a potent neutrophil chemoattractant by P. haemolytica may explain the rapid infiltration of neutrophils that occurs during the early stages of bovine pneumonic pasteurellosis.     

Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin: comparison of 51chromium-release, trypan blue dye exclusion, and luminol-dependent chemiluminescence-inhibition assays for sensitivity in detecting leukotoxin activity

Dilutions of concentrated, dialyzed Pasteurella haemolytica culture supernatant were caused to react with bovine neutrophil (PMN) suspensions, and then the trypan blue dye exclusion (TBDE), 51chromium (51Cr)-release, and luminol-dependent chemiluminescence-inhibition (LDCLI) assays were done to compare their relative sensitivities in detecting biological activity of P haemolytica leukotoxin (cytotoxin). The culture supernatant was concentrated approximately 200:1, and when caused to react as an undiluted preparation with bovine PMN, it was cytotoxic for 38.6% and 80.4% of PMN as determined by TBDE and 51Cr-release assays, respectively. This undiluted leukotoxin preparation caused 100% inhibition of the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence responses of bovine PMN. The LDCLI assay was the most sensitive of the 3 in vitro assays for P haemolytica leukotoxin activity--being approximately 17 times and 2,480 times more sensitive than the 51Cr-release and TBDE assays, respectively. The relative advantages and disadvantages of the 3 assays as in vitro systems for detecting and titrating leukotoxin activity and investigating the role of leukotoxin in disease pathogenesis and immunity are discussed. Because of its sensitivity, specificity, economy, technical ease, and potential for adaptation to automation, the LDCLI assay would seem to be the in vitro assay of choice for quantitating P haemolytica leukotoxin activity. To aid standardization of studies of leukotoxin between different laboratories, it is suggested that P haemolytica leukotoxin be quantitated and expressed as chemiluminescence inhibitory units.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Dissociation of cytolysis and monokine release by bovine mononuclear phagocytes incubated with Pasteurella haemolytica partially purified leukotoxin and lipopolysaccharide.

The bovine respiratory pathogen Pasteurella haemolytica secretes an exotoxin that is specific for ruminant leukocytes (leukotoxin). Previous studies have shown that subcytolytic concentrations of the leukotoxin stimulate bovine neutrophils to undergo a respiratory burst and degranulate. Relatively little is known about the stimulatory effects of the leukotoxin on bovine mononuclear phagocytes. In this study, we compared the relative cytolytic effects of partially purified leukotoxin on bovine peripheral blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages. We found monocytes to be approximately 8- to 10-fold more sensitive than alveolar macrophages to the cytolytic effect of leukotoxin. In addition, incubation of monocytes and alveolar macrophages with sublethal doses of leukotoxin stimulated release of IL-1 and TNF activities in a dose-dependent manner. Addition of an antileukotoxin MAb neutralized the cytolytic effects of leukotoxin, but potentiated TNF release. Heat inactivation also blocked the cytolytic activity of LKT, but only slightly reduced its ability to stimulate TNF release. Although the leukotoxin preparations were estimated to have only small amounts of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contamination, as determined by a standard Limulus amebocyte lysate coagulation assay, a chromogenic Limulus assay indicated much greater amounts of LPS were present. Adding equivalent doses of P. haemolytica LPS largely duplicated the monokine release stimulated by leukotoxin. These results suggest that the stimulatory effects of the P. haemolytica leukotoxin on bovine mononuclear phagocytes may principally involve LPS, perhaps complexed with leukotoxin.     

The effect of Pasteurella haemolytica A1 leukotoxic culture supernate on the in vitro proliferative response of bovine lymphocytes

The effect of sublethal concentrations of the Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxic culture supernate on bovine lymphocyte blastogenesis was investigated. Blastogenesis in cultures stimulated with either concanavalin A (Con A) or pokeweed mitogen (PWM) was inhibited in the presence of the supernate, as was the response to purified protein derivative in lymphocytes from BCG-vaccinated cattle. Partially purified leukotoxin had a similar effect. Pre-incubation of the leukotoxic supernate with a polyclonal rabbit antiserum raised to the immunogenic molecule of recombinant leukotoxin (r LktA) abrogated this effect, implicating leukotoxin as the factor responsible for the inhibition. B cell enriched cultures tended to be more sensitive to leukotoxic effects than did T cell enriched cultures. Although only ruminant cells are susceptible to the lethal effects of P. haemolytica leukotoxin, the toxin did inhibit both Con A- and PWM-induced proliferation of human and dog lymphocytes. As well, at high leukotoxin doses, Con A-stimulated pig lymphocyte proliferation was reduced. Rabbit lymphocytes were not affected by leukotoxin in either Con A- or PWM-stimulated cultures.     

Effects of Pasteurella haemolytica culture supernate on bovine tracheal smooth muscle.

Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin is a ruminant specific leukotoxin that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of shipping fever in cattle. The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of this toxin on bovine airway smooth muscle. In vitro, the addition of culture supernate containing leukotoxin to bovine tracheal smooth muscle resulted in contraction of 55% of the muscle strips tested. Maximum responses were reached rapidly during cumulative additions of this material. In 95% of the muscle strips that responded, maximum responses were obtained after the addition of one or two cumulative doses. Repeated additions of culture supernate resulted in decreased responsiveness. Since responsiveness to other agonists was not affected, these results suggest the development of a condition similar to tachyphylaxis. The contractions were inhibited by antihistamines. Diphenhydramine, at a concentration of 10(-6) M (dose-ratio 7), and mepyramine, at a concentration of 2 x 10(-7) M (dose-ratio 56), blocked the contractions by 84% and 100% respectively. In addition, the contractions were blocked by the muscarinic antagonist atropine, but this inhibition was much weaker (46%) and was present at high concentrations only. Inhibition of the contractions by H1 receptor antagonists suggests that the contractions are mediated via H1 receptors. Since the dose-response relationship is not typical of a drug-receptor interaction, it appears unlikely that the leukotoxin is a direct agonist of H1 receptors. It is proposed that an indirect mechanism of action involving the release of histamine by tissue mast cells is responsible for the leukotoxin-induced contractions.     

Parainfluenza-3 virus-induced enhancement of histamine release from calf lung mast cells – effect of levamisole

Clinically healthy calves were divided into five groups. Group 1 served as control; Group 2 received levamisole (LEV), 3 mg/kg, s.c.; Group 3 was aerosolized with parainfluenza-3 virus (PI-3); Group 4 received LEV and PI-3 and Group 5 was inoculated with Pasteurella haemolytica. They were killed 6 days after virus exposure or 5-6 days after bacterial inoculation. Lung mast cells were prepared by enzymatic treatment. Mast cell histamine (HIST) release was assayed spectrofluorometrically. Total HIST (micrograms/g) in mast cells was as follows (means +/- SEM): control (5.30 +/- 0.26); LEV (5.27 +/- 0.31); PI-3 (6.37 +/- 0.65); LEV + PI-3 (6.21 +/- 0.51); P. haemolytica (7.06 +/- 0.85). Spontaneous HIST release was as follows (% total, means +/- SEM): control (10.38 +/- 1.09), LEV (11.95 +/- 2.13), PI-3v (73.57 +/- 11.97), PI-3v + LEV (19.50 +/- 3.03), and P. haemolytica (70.59 +/- 5.94). Calcium ionophore A23187 (5 X 10(-6) M)-induced release (% total, means +/- SEM) was: 51.53 +/- 3.05, 50.02 +/- 2.70, 83.91 +/- 4.09, 75.21 +/- 4.51 and 70.59 +/- 6.91 for control, LEV, PI-3, LEV + PI-3 and P. haemolytica groups, respectively. Both virus and bacteria increased HIST content of lung mast cells and enhanced ionophore-induced release. Levamisole significantly reduced spontaneous HIST release in virus-infected calves but had no effect on ionophore-induced release. Results suggest a significant role for HIST in pathogenesis of bovine microbial pneumonia and that LEV probably does not modulate non-immunologic release of HIST from bovine lungs.     

Bovine pneumonic pasteurellosis: chemiluminescent response of bovine peripheral blood leukocytes to living and killed Pasteurella haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, and Escherichia coli

A luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (LDCL) assay was used to evaluate the response of bovine polymorphonuclear leukocytes; (neutrophils [PMN]) to living and heat-killed Escherichia coli, Pasteurella multocida (type A, serotype 3), and P haemolytica (biotype A, serotype 1), and to heat-killed P haemolytica and sterile culture supernatant from living P haemolytica. Control cultures containing PMN that had not been phagocytically stimulated with bacteria had a modest increase in LDCL during the initial 10 minutes of incubation, followed by a gradual decline throughout the 120-minute incubation period. Bovine PMN emitted LDCL more efficiently when the cells were exposed to living E coli or P multocida than when they were exposed to the same bacteria killed by heat. The mean LDCL values for reaction mixtures containing living E coli or P multocida peaked at 30 minutes of incubation and remained above values for mixtures containing the same heat-killed bacteria. Kinetics of the LDCL response of bovine PMN to heat-killed P haemolytica were similar (although reduced in amplitude) to that observed with killed E coli or P multocida. The LDCL response of bovine PMN to living P haemolytica was not like that for E coli or P multocida, and was characterized by the development of a peak response at 10 minutes followed by a precipitous decrease in responsiveness and a subsequent complete cessation of LDCL. Addition of sterile culture supernatant from living P haemolytica to test samples containing heat-killed P haemolytica induced a response similar to that obtained with the living microorganism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Granulocyte plasma membrane damage by leukotoxic supernatant from Pasteurella haemolytica A1 and protection by immune serum.

Bovine respiratory disease caused by Pasteurella haemolytica may be partially mediated by a leukotoxin secreted by the microorganism. We examined the effect of leukotoxic Pasteurella supernatants on leakage of the cytosol enzyme lactate dehydrogenase and the lysosomal enzyme arylsulfatase from bovine granulocytes. Lactate dehydrogenase release (94%) was much higher than arylsulfatase release (38%) over 30 minutes of incubation. The Pasteurella supernatants inhibited superoxide production by stimulated granulocytes at concentrations which also caused substantial cell death as measured by failure to exclude trypan blue. Both toxic effects were prevented by serum from aerosol-immunized calves, and protection appeared to be antibody-specific by comparison with fetal bovine serum or with serum absorbed against intact P. haemolytica. These findings suggest that the leukotoxin may selectively disrupt the granulocyte plasma membrane, and that antibody directed against a surface component of the microorganism is also capable of protecting against the leukotoxin effect.     

Vaccination of calves with leukotoxic culture supernatant from Pasteurella haemolytica.

In three experiments subcutaneous vaccination of calves with adjuvanted bacteria-free leukotoxic culture supernatant from log phase cultures of Pasteurella haemolytica A1 (toxin 1) was shown to induce some protection against intrabronchial challenge with live P. haemolytica A1. This toxin 1 vaccine was as effective as a whole cell bacterin in stimulating agglutinating antibody to P. haemolytica. Induction of leukotoxin neutralizing activity was variable; in some cases vaccination only primed the animal to produce an anamnestic response after challenge, whereas in other instances antitoxic activity increased in response to immunization. Two doses of vaccine were shown to be more effective than a single immunization. Vaccination with leukotoxic culture supernatant from the nonpathogenic P. haemolytica serotype 11 was as effective as vaccination with toxin 1 in stimulating antitoxic activity but was not protective. This implies that both serospecific agglutinating activity and an antitoxic response are needed for immunity.     

Cytotoxic activity of Mannheimia haemolytica strains in relation to diversity of the leukotoxin structural gene lktA

The leukotoxin of Mannheimia haemolytica has a very high degree of amino acid diversity because the lktA gene has a complex mosaic structure that has been derived by horizontal DNA transfer and intragenic recombination. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of this amino acid diversity on leukotoxin cytotoxicity against bovine and ovine cell types. This was done by comparing the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence response of bovine and ovine neutrophils after pre-incubation with the various leukotoxin types. The LktA1.1-type leukotoxin associated with bovine serotype A1 and A6 strains differs from the LktA1.2-type leukotoxin produced by ovine serotype A1 and A6 strains at a single amino acid position and has enhanced activity against bovine but reduced activity against ovine neutrophils. These findings, together with the exclusive association of the LktA1.1-type leukotoxin with bovine strains, suggest that this leukotoxin type has an adaptive advantage in the bovine host. Leukotoxins LktA6-LktA10 are associated with ovine strains and have complex mosaic structures and diverse amino acid sequences but similar levels of cytotoxic activity against bovine and ovine neutrophils, respectively. However, ovine neutrophils were more sensitive to the cytotoxic activities of these leukotoxins than were bovine neutrophils. LktA8- and LktA10-type leukotoxins are associated with serotype A2 and A7 strains that are responsible for the majority of ovine disease cases, but LktA6-, LktA7- and LktA9-type leukotoxins are associated with less common serotypes. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence suggesting that factors other than leukotoxin cytotoxicity are responsible for the full expression of virulence in M. haemolytica. Overall, the extensive recombinational exchanges within the lktA gene of M. haemolytica have had little effect on leukotoxin function which is highly conserved.     

Lysis of bovine platelets by Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin

Pasteurella haemolytica A1 culture supernatants caused rapid cytolysis (less than 5 minutes) of isolated bovine platelets as measured by leakage of the cytoplasmic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LD). The platelet lytic factor had several features similar to P haemolytica leukotoxin. Like P haemolytica leukotoxin, the platelet lytic factor was produced by P haemolytica during logarithmic growth phase, was heat-labile, and was active against target cells (platelets) from ruminant species (cattle and sheep), but not from non-ruminant species (horses, pigs, and human beings). Additionally, the platelet lytic factor was neutralized with antileukotoxin rabbit serum. The amount of LD leaked by a fixed concentration of bovine platelets was proportional to the amount of toxin added at low toxic doses and became maximal at 88 +/- 11% of the total platelet LD activity for high doses of toxin. When a fixed dose of toxin was used and the platelet concentration was varied, LD leakage was initially proportional to the platelet concentration, but plateaued at higher platelet concentrations. The platelet lytic factor required Ca2+ and was inhibited by addition of the Ca2+ chelator ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. Toxin-mediated platelet damage may be important in thrombi formation and fibrin exudation typically associated with P haemolytica pleuropneumonia of cattle.     

Novel protease produced by a Pasteurella trehalosi serotype 10 isolate from a pneumonic bighorn sheep: characteristics and potential relevance to protection

A strain of Pasteurella trehalosi serotype 10, E(CO)-100, isolated from a bighorn sheep that had succumbed to pneumonic pasteurellosis during an epizootic, was compared to well-characterized strains of P. trehalosi serotype 10 and Mannheimia haemolytica serotype 1. The gene for leukotoxin A (lktA) from E(CO)-100 was sequenced and found to be identical on an amino acid basis to a published sequence for lktA from P. trehalosi serotype 10. However, the toxic activity in culture supernatant measured over time for E(CO)-100 was quite different from reference strains. Typically, the ability of the supernatant to lyse target cells increases over time corresponding to the logarithmic growth of the organism, peaks at mid to late phase, then declines gradually. Supernatant from E(CO)-100 exhibited a sharp decline in toxicity after mid-logarithmic growth to undetectable levels. Investigation of this anomaly using a commercial kit with a porcine gelatin/bovine albumin substrate matrix revealed high protease activity in the supernatant of this strain compared to another P. trehalosi serotype 10 and to a M. haemolytica serotype 1. Protease activity was also visualized using gelatin based zymogram gels. This protease was not substrate specific as it was shown to degrade leukotoxin. Activity was neutralized by bighorn sera in a titratable manner. There was an association between the ability to neutralize protease and low pneumonic lung scores in bighorn sheep experimentally challenged with E(CO)-100 (r=0.5, P=0.1). This previously unidentified protease may be an important protective antigen in vaccines designed to prevent pneumonic pasteurellosis resulting from P. trehalosi in bighorn sheep.     

Immunohistochemical localization of Pasteurella haemolytica A1-derived endotoxin, leukotoxin, and capsular polysaccharide in experimental bovine Pasteurella pneumonia

Six, 5- to 10-week-old male Holstein calves were inoculated intratracheally with 5 x 10(9) logarithmic growth phase Pasteurella haemolytica biotype A serotype 1 (A1). Immunohistochemical techniques in conjunction with the use of monoclonal antibodies directed against P. haemolytica A1-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS), capsular polysaccharide, and a polyclonal rabbit anti-leukotoxin antibody were used to localize their respective antigens in tissue sections of pneumonic lung at the light and electron microscopic levels. We found the following: 1) LPS, capsular polysaccharide, and leukotoxin were released into the inflammatory exudate; 2) LPS was found within the cytoplasm of neutrophils (located in the alveolus and alveolar wall), alveolar macrophages, endothelial cells, pulmonary intravascular macrophages, and on epithelial cell surfaces; 3) capsular polysaccharide was found in the alveolus and alveolar macrophages but not in cells of the alveolar wall; and 4) leukotoxin was associated with cell membranes of degenerating inflammatory cells located in the alveolus. This is the first study that demonstrates the presence of leukotoxin in the pulmonary inflammatory lesions caused by P. haemolytica A1 and implicates endotoxin as an important factor in the genesis of the pulmonary lesions.