Toxicity of a highly purified leucocidin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa in perfused rat livers

Summary

Leucocidin, a toxic protein obtained from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was tested in perfused rat livers. Doses of >4μg/g liver produced a heavy potasium loss and a massive decrease of the perfusion rate but only moderate swelling of the liver at 37°C. All effects depended on the dose. If the perfusions were carried out at 22 or 9°C neither K⁺-loss nor swelling, and only a moderate increase of the vascular resistance was observed. Swelling at 37°C was stronger at low initial perfusion rates (2.0 ml·min⁻¹·g⁻¹) than at higher ones (4.0 ml·min⁻¹·g⁻¹). The major effect of leucocidin could be prevented when the perfusion medium was changed 30 min after the addition of the toxin. Only small amounts of ¹²⁵I-leucocidin were taken up by the liver tissue. The time course and the quantity of nearly all effects of leucocidin were quite different from those of phalloidin.