Two membrane damaging toxins from Aeromonas hydrophila.

The effects of two hemolysins (alpha and beta) from Aeromonas hydrophila on human lung fibroblasts were investigated. The toxins differed with respect to relative size of lesions induced in the plasma membrane, morphological effects, reversibility of effects and adsorption to fibroblasts. The effect of alpha-hemolysin appears to be restricted to the plasma membrane level, whereas the beta-hemolysin is strongly cytotoxic and probably acts on some intracellular target in addition to the primary target, the plasma membrane.