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Isolated Light Chain of Tetanus Toxin Inhibits Exocytosis: Studies in Digitonin‐Permeabilized Cells
Author(s) -
Bittner Mary A.,
Habig William H.,
Holz Ronald W.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1989.tb11800.x
Subject(s) - toxin , digitonin , immunoglobulin light chain , clostridium tetani , internalization , tetanus , monoclonal antibody , intracellular , chemistry , secretion , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , antibody , biochemistry , immunology , membrane , cell , vaccination
Previous work indicates that the heavy chain of tetanus toxin is responsible for the binding of the toxin to the neuronal membrane and its subsequent internalization. In the present study, the light chain of tetanus toxin mimicked the holotoxin in inhibiting Ca 2+ ‐dependent secretion of [ 3 H]norepinephrine from digitonin‐permeabilized adrenal chromaffin cells. Preincubation of tetanus toxin with monoclonal antibodies to the light chain prevented the inhibition by tetanus toxin. Preincubation of tetanus toxin with nonimmune ascites fluid or with monoclonal antibodies directed against the C fragment (the C‐terminal of the heavy chains or the heavy‐chain portion of the B fragment did not prevent inhibition by tetanus toxin. The data indicate that the light chain is responsible for the intracellular blockade of exostosis.