Cytotoxicity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Membranes.

Organ cultures of adult hamster trachea were used to evaluate the cytotoxic potential of cell fractions of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Cytoplasm was essentially devoid of activity, whereas viable cells and membrane preparations, at a level of 25 mug of protein per ml, induced necrosis. Damage, as revealed by light and electron microscopy, included ciliostasis, vacuolization, loss of ciliated respiratory epithelial cells, disorganization, and a loss of polarity. Dose response data indicated that the speed and degree of cytotoxicity was directly related to the concentration of membranes. Doses of 30 to 60 mug of protein per ml could reduce relative ciliary activity to 20% of the control level within 4 days. Membranes prepared after freeze-thaw lysis of cells were almost twice as active as those isolated after a combination of osmotic and sonic shock. Membranes of M. fermentans were inactive, though both the FH and M129 strains of M. pneumoniae were toxic. These data indicate that the toxic factor responsible for M. pneumoniae may be located in the cell membrane.