[Cytotoxic action of Pseudomonas aeruginosa hemolysin]

Abstract

The cytopathic action of haemolysin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been studied in mouse and human leucocytes. The morphological changes suggest that haemolysin affects the molecular architecture of the cell membrane, whose permeability is increased. It does not induce non-specific stimulation of peripheral lymphocytes. Normal sera and albumin neutralize the hemolytic activity of haemolysin; this inhibition is also observed, to a les extent, on the lytic action on leucocytes. This raises the possibility that the two activities are probably associated with the same molecule.