Diphtheria toxin effects on human cells in tissue culture.

HeLa cells exposed to a single sublethal concentration of diphtheria toxin were found to have diminished sensitivity when subsequently reexposed to the toxin. Three cells strains exhibiting toxin resistance were developed. In the cells that had previously been exposed to toxin at 0.015 mug/ml, 50% inhibition of protein synthesis required a toxin concentration of 0.3 mug/ml, which is more than 10 times that required in normal HeLa cells. There appears to be a threshold level of diphtheria toxin action. Concentrations of toxin greater than that required for 50% inhibition of protein synthesis (0.01 mug/ml) are associated with cytotoxicity, whereas those below this concentration may not be lethal. Several established human cell lines of both normal and neoplastic origin were tested for their sensitivity to the effects of the toxin. No special sensitivity was observed with the cells of tumor origin. Fifty % inhibition of protein synthesis of HeLa cells was achieved with diphtheria toxin (0.01 mug/ml) as compared to the normal human cell lines tested (0.03 and 0.5 mug/ml) and a cell line derived from a human pancreatic adenocarcinoma (0.2 mug/ml). A human breast carcinoma cell line showed a maximum of 45% inhibition of protein synthesis. This required a diphtheria toxin concentration of 5 mug/ml. These results suggest that different human cell lines show wide variation in their sensitivity to the toxin.

Affinity isolation of cultured tumor cells by means of drugs and hormones covalently bound to glass and Sepharose beads.

Isoproterenol, corticotropin (ACTH), and triodothyronine immobilized on glass and Sepharose beads by diazotization procedures have been shown to interact with cultured tumor cells of "target tissue" origin. Cells used were rat glioma cells (C6), rat adrenal tumor cells (Y-1), and rat pituitary tumor cells (GH3). The rat glioma cells bound principally to immobilized isoproterenol, whereas the rat adrenal tumor cells bound to immobilized corticotropin, and rat pituitary tumor cells bound to immobilized triiodothyronine. Binding was inhibited by preincubation of the cells in soluble drug or hormone. With C6 cells there was a positive correlation between adenylate cyclase [ATP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing, EC 4.6.1.1] stimulation and the degree of binding to the immobilized isoproterenol. Norepinephrine, bound through the ethanolamine side chain via an amide linkage, did not bind cells, demonstrating specific structural requirements for drug-cell interactions. HeLa cells were shown to bind tightly to diphtheria toxin coupled to Sepharose beads via an amide bond. This binding was inhibited by prior incubation of the Sepharose toxin with purified antitoxin. Toxin bound to Sepharose via an azo bond did not bind cells. These data suggest that the cell affinities are due to cell surface receptors interacting with the immobilized drugs and hormones, and that the observed affinities possibly reflect the relative receptor complement of these cells.