Comparison of Clostridium sordellii toxins HT and LT with toxins A and B of C. difficile.

Clostridium sordellii produces two toxins, designated HT (haemorrhagic toxin) and LT (lethal toxin), that are similar to toxins A and B of C. difficile. The physicochemical properties of toxins HT and A were remarkably similar. The specific biological activities of toxin HT were almost the same as those of toxin A, and their NH2-terminal sequences shared close homology. The properties of toxins LT and B were similar, as were their NH2-terminal sequences, but toxin B was much more cytotoxic than toxin LT. Immunodiffusion analysis with specific antibodies showed that although toxins B and LT shared major antigenic determinants, each had unique epitopes. The results suggest that toxins B and LT have diverged more than toxins A and HT. Immunoblotting with antibodies to the toxins of C. difficile showed that toxins HT and LT had common antigenic determinants.