Further Studies on the Mode of Action of Clostridium Welchii Type-D Epsilon Toxin

Abstract

Intradermal injection of Clostridium welchii type-D epsilon toxin increased the permeability of blood vessels in guinea-pig skin to Evans blue dye by a mechanism not dependent on the release of histamine. The toxin was also found to raise the plasma concentration of cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate in mice. It is concluded that epsilon toxin is an enterotoxin capable of causing widespread damage, after binding to receptor sites on the surface of certain cells, through a mechanism mediated by an adenyl cyclase-cAMP system.