Cytotoxic effects on hair cells of guinea pig cochlea produced by pneumolysin, the thiol activated toxin of Streptococcus pneumoniae

S D Comis, M P Osborne, J Stephen, M J Tarlow, T L Hayward, T J Mitchell, P W Andrew, G J Boulnois

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The cytolytic toxin, pneumolysin, from the gram positive bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae, when perfused through the scala tympani of the guinea pig cochlea reduced the amplitude of both the compound action potential and the cochlear microphonic potential. When the surface of the organ of Corti was examined by scanning electron microscopy, both inner and outer hair cells and supporting cells were found to be damaged. Inner hair cells and outer hair cells of row 3 were the most susceptible to damage by pneumolysin, followed by row 2 and then by row 1 of the outer hair cells. Damage to hair cells included disruption and splaying of stereocilia, loss of stereocilia and complete dissolution of hair bundles. Apical surfaces of hair cells and supporting cells were torn, pitted and cratered with shrinkage and tearing of cell boundaries. Within the dose range perfused (0.05-1 micrograms/microliters in a 10 microliters aliquot), the magnitude of the physiological and anatomical lesions was concentration dependent. The cytotoxic effects of pneumolysin reported here may be clinically significant factors in deafness caused by meningitis and otitis media in humans.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)152-9
Number of pages8
JournalActa Oto-Laryngologica
Volume113
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - Mar 1993

Keywords

  • Animals
  • Cochlea
  • Deafness
  • Female
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Hair Cells, Auditory
  • Male
  • Meningitis
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Otitis Media
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • Streptolysins

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Cytotoxic effects on hair cells of guinea pig cochlea produced by pneumolysin, the thiol activated toxin of Streptococcus pneumoniae'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this