Inhibition of human natural killer cell activity by cereulide, an emetic toxin from Bacillus cereus.

Abstract	The lipophilic toxin, cereulide, emitted by emetic food poisoning causing strains of Bacillus cereus, is a powerful mitochondria toxin. It is highly lipophilic and rapidly absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream. We tested how this toxin influences natural killer (NK) cells, which are important effectors in defence against infections and malignancy. Cereulide inhibited cytotoxicity and cytokine production of natural killer cells, caused swelling of natural killer cell mitochondria, and eventually induced natural killer cell apoptosis. The suppressive effect on cytotoxicity was fast and toxic concentration low, 20-30 microg/l. As the emesis causing concentration of cereulide is around 10 microg/kg of total body mass, our results suggest that emesis causing or even lower doses of cereulide may also have a systemic natural killer cell suppressive effect.
Authors	A Paananen, R Mikkola, T Sareneva, S Matikainen, M Hess, M Andersson, I Julkunen, M S Salkinoja-Salonen, T Timonen
Journal	Clinical and experimental immunology (Clin Exp Immunol) Vol. 129 Issue 3 Pg. 420-8 (Sep 2002) ISSN: 0009-9104 [Print] England
PMID	12197882 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References	Bacterial Toxins Cytokines Depsipeptides Emetics Interleukin-1 Peptides, Cyclic cereulide Interferon-gamma
Topics	Apoptosis Bacillus cereus Bacterial Toxins (isolation & purification, pharmacology, toxicity) Cells, Cultured Cytokines (pharmacology) Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic Depsipeptides Dose-Response Relationship, Drug Emetics (isolation & purification, pharmacology, toxicity) Humans Interferon-gamma (biosynthesis) Interleukin-1 (biosynthesis) Killer Cells, Natural (drug effects, immunology, ultrastructure) Kinetics Membrane Potentials (drug effects) Mitochondria (drug effects, physiology, ultrastructure) Monocytes (drug effects, immunology) Peptides, Cyclic (isolation & purification, pharmacology, toxicity) T-Lymphocytes (drug effects, immunology) Tumor Cells, Cultured

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