Effect of prior treatment with Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin inactivated by various agents on lethal, pressor and contractile activities of the toxin.

Lethal and pressor activities, and the contractile responses of rat isolated ileum to Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin, were significantly prevented by the prior administration of epsilon toxin inactivated by 1-ethyl-3-(3-diethyl-aminopropyl) carbodiimide in the presence of glycine methyl ester (EDC), 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS), succinic anhydride (SA) and ethoxyformic anhydride (EFA). However, the prior administration of the toxin inactivated by N-acetylimidazole (NAI), tetranitromethane (TNM) and N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) resulted in no inhibition of these biological activities. These data suggest that the toxin interacts with specific site(s) on target organs or tissues. The relationship between amino acid residues and the actions of the toxin is described.