Comparison of effects of nicked and unnicked Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin on Chinese hamster ovary cells

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Abstract
The effect on nicking (proteolytic cleavage) of heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) on its activities on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was examined. LT nicked with trypsin induced morphological change (elongation) of CHO cells from round to spindle-shaped cells faster than did unnicked LT. The times for elongation of 50% of the CHO cells with nicked and unnicked LT were 3 and 6 h, respectively. The activity of nicked LT on CHO cells was not inhibited by antiserum 20 min after treatment; that of unnicked LT was inhibited by antiserum until .apprx. 130-160 min after treatment. Evidently, unnicked LT remains on the cell surface longer than nicked LT and thus induces morphological changes of CHO cells more slowly than does nicked LT.