[The cytopathic effect induced by strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing hemolysin, leukocidin and proteases in Hep-2 cells].

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the leading causes of infection in compromised hosts, including patients with burns, cancer and natural and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Several exotoxins produced by P. aeruginosa, have been shown to contribute to the pathogenicity of the organism. Although their mode of action is known, little information is available about the interaction of these toxins with eukaryotic cells and the sequence of the pathological events. For these reasons, the early cytopathic effect (CPE) induced on Hep-2 cells infected by several P. aeruginosa strains was analyzed. Early cytotoxicity, (one h after infection) manifested by morphological evidence of cells death, followed exposure only to strains that produced one or more toxins such as leukocidin, haemolysins and proteases, and seems to be a multifactorial effect. In fact, each one of these virulence factors may induce CPE in late but not early stage.