Effects of Listeria monocytogenes and its components on adenosine triphosphate concentrations in mice.

The effects of Listeria monocytogenes and its components on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations in mice were examined by in vitro and in vivo techniques. White female mice were intraperitoneally injected with L monocytogenes strain 9-125 and its components, and certain tissues of mice were exposed to the various listerial components in vitro, and the ATP concentrations in these tissues were measured. Results of in vivo experiments indicated that live listerial cells and certain components (hemolysin, cell wall, and cytoplasm) decreased the ATP concentrations in some tissues of the mice, whereas other components (peptidoglycan and endotoxin-like material) did not have any effects on ATP concentrations. Although hemolysin from L monocytogenes decreased the tissue ATP concentrations in vitro, other listerial components did not effect any of the exposed tissues. The data indicated some impairment of host energy metabolism occurred in mice exposed to L monocytogenes or to its components or to both.