Purification of epidermal plasminogen activator inhibitor

A plasminogen activator inhibitor was purified from human cornified cell extract by DEAE-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, and high-performance liquid chromatographies on hydroxyapatite HPHT and anion-exchanger Mono Q at pH 7.2 and 8.0. The purified inhibitor showed Mr 43,000 and pI 5.2 50% inhibition of fibrinolytic activity (1.5 IU) of urokinase and tissue-type plasminogen activator was attained by 0.60 ng and 11.0 ng purified inhibitor, respectively. Synthetic substrate assay demonstrated slow tight-binding inhibition to both urokinase and tissue-type plasminogen activator. The inhibitor did not inactivate plasmin, thrombin, glandular kallikrein or trypsin.     

Purification and characterization of the vacuolating toxin from Helicobacter pylori.

A vacuolating toxin was purified to homogeneity from broth culture supernatant of the human gastric bacterium, Helicobacter pylori. The procedure for isolating the toxin included ammonium sulfate precipitation, hydrophobic interactive chromatography, size exclusion chromatography, and anion exchange chromatography, which together resulted in a greater than 5000-fold purification of toxin activity. The molecular mass of the purified, denatured toxin was 87,000 +/- 320 daltons, and the native toxin was an aggregate with a molecular mass greater than or equal to 972,000 daltons. The amino-terminal sequence of the purified toxin was partially homologous with internal sequences of numerous transport or ion channel proteins. Antiserum raised against the M(r) = 87,000 protein neutralized toxin activity, whereas preimmune serum did not. When reacted with specific antiserum to the M(r) = 87,000 protein in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) assay, culture supernatants from eight tox+ H. pylori strains produced significantly higher optical density readings than eight tox- supernatants (0.614 +/- 0.11 versus 0.046 +/- 0.01, p less than 0.0001). Sera from H. pylori-infected humans recognized the purified M(r) = 87,000 protein significantly better by ELISA than sera from uninfected persons (0.424 +/- 0.06 versus 0.182 +/- 0.02, p = 0.0009). Finally, ELISA recognition of the purified M(r) = 87,000 protein by human sera was significantly associated with toxin-neutralizing activity (p = 0.019, r = 0.518).     

Glycerophospholipid:cholesterol acyltransferase complexed with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a major lethal exotoxin and cytolysin of Aeromonas salmonicida: LPS stabilizes and enhances toxicity of the enzyme.

An extracellular lethal toxin produced by Aeromonas salmonicida was purified by fast-protein liquid ion-exchange chromatography. The toxin is composed of glycerophospholipid:cholesterol acyltransferase (GCAT) (molecular mass, 25 kilodaltons) aggregated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the GCAT/LPS complex having a molecular mass of about 2,000 kilodaltons, estimated by gel filtration chromatography. The toxin is lethal for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) at a concentration of 0.045 micrograms of protein per g of body weight. The toxin is a hemolysin (T-lysin, active on fish erythrocytes), leukocytolysin, and cytotoxin. Antiserum to the purified toxin neutralized the lethal toxicity of the crude extracellular toxins, indicating this toxin to be the major lethal factor produced by A. salmonicida. In the crude extracellular products, small amounts of free GCAT were also present. This has been purified, and its activities and properties have been compared with those of the GCAT/LPS complex. The presence of LPS did not influence the GCAT activity of the enzyme with egg yolk or phosphatidylcholine (lecithin) as a substrate, but the specific hemolytic activity and lethal toxicity was about eightfold higher in the complexed form. Furthermore, the free GCAT was more susceptible to proteolytic and heat inactivation than was the GCAT/LPS complex. Recombination of LPS (phenol extracted from extracellular products of A. salmonicida) with free GCAT enhanced the hemolytic activity, lethal toxicity, and heat stability of the latter but did not influence its lecithinase activity. In native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the GCAT/LPS complex and the recombined GCAT-LPS both showed a high-molecular-mass band which did not enter the gel, while the free GCAT produced a single band with low molecular mass. In isoelectric focusing gels, the GCAT/LPS and recombined GCAT-LPS produced a nonfocusing smear with pIs from pI 5.0 to 5.8, while the free GCAT produced a single band with pI 4.3. These data show that free GCAT can combine with LPS to produce a high-molecular-mass complex with enhanced toxicity and heat stability compared with those of free GCAT, similar to the preexisting GCAT/LPS complex, and indicate that the LPS moiety of the toxin plays an active role in toxicity.     

Purification of serine protease from polychaeta, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lumbrineris nipponica</Emphasis>, and assessment of its fibrinolytic activity

Ischemic stroke and cardiovascular disease can occur from blockage of blood vessels by fibrin clots formed naturally in the body. Therapeutic drugs of anticoagulant or thrombolytic agents have been studied; however, various problems have been reported such as side effects and low efficacy. Thus, development of new candidates that are more effective and safe is necessary. The objective of this study is to evaluate fibrinolytic activity, anti-coagulation, and characterization of serine protease purified from Lumbrineris nipponica, polychaeta, for new thrombolytic agents. In the present study, we isolated and identified a new fibrinolytic serine protease from L. nipponica. The N-terminal sequence of the identified serine protease was EAMMDLADQLEQSLN, which is not homologous with any known serine protease. The size of the purified serine protease was 28 kDa, and the protein purification yield was 12.7%. The optimal enzyme activity was observed at 50°C and pH 2.0. A fibrin plate assay confirmed that indirect fibrinolytic activity of the purified serine protease was higher than that of urokinase-PA, whereas direct fibrinolytic activity, which causes bleeding side effects, was relatively low. The serine protease did not induce any cytotoxicity toward the endothelial cell line. In addition, anticoagulant activity was verified by an in vivo DVT animal model system. These results suggest that serine protease purified from L. nipponica has the potential to be an alternative fibrinolytic agent for the treatment of thrombosis and use in various biomedical applications.     

Enzymatic properties and identification of a fibrinolytic serine protease purified from Bacillus subtilis DC33

A novel fibrinolytic enzyme subtilisin FS33 was purified from Bacillus subtilis DC33, isolated from a traditional flavour-rich food in China. The purified subtilisin FS33 was a single chain protein with a molecular mass of 30 kDa measured by SDS-PAGE. After activated SDS-PAGE, the enzyme band exhibited strong fibrinolytic activity on the fibrin plate. Subtilisin FS33 was temperature-stable below 60°C over the pH range 5–12, with a maximum activity at pH 8.0, but the activity completely disappeared after 10 min above 65°C. The NH₂-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was different from that of other known fibrinolytic enzymes, such as NK, CK, SMCE, KA38, subtilisin E, subtilisin DFE and Katsuwokinase. The amidolytic activities of subtilisin FS33 were inhibited completely by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI). EDTA did not affect the enzyme activity, and none of the ions tested activated the activity. Therefore, the enzyme was thought to be a subtilisin-like serine protease. The enzyme degraded the Bβ-chains of fibrin(ogen) very rapidly and then degraded the Aα-chain and at least five fragments from fibrin(ogen) were obtained after hydrolysis. Subtilisin FS33 was also able to cleave blood clots in the absence of endogenous fibrinolytic factors.     

Heat stability and species range of purified staphylococcal alpha-toxin

Cooper, Louis Z. (New England Medical Center Hospital, Boston, Mass.), Morton A. Madoff, and Louis Weinstein. Heat stability and species range of purified staphylococcal alpha-toxin. J. Bacteriol. 91:1686-1692. 1966.-Heating of high-titer purified staphylococcal alpha-toxin at 60 and 80 C resulted in a double-sloped curve of inactivation of the hemolytic effect on rabbit erythrocytes. Early inactivation was less at the lower temperature, but activity persisted for a longer time at 80 C. Toxin inactivated at 60 C showed renewed activity when heated briefly at 80 C. A precipitate which formed during heating of alpha-toxin at 60 or 80 C yielded hemolytic activity when resuspended and heated at 80 but not at 60 C. Supernatant fluid of heat-precipitated toxin was heat-labile and did not regain activity when heated at 80 C. The results indicate that the "paradoxical effect" of heating of staphylococcal alpha-toxin is not due to a thermolabile inhibitor, but results from alteration of the toxin molecule to a heat-stable active form. Demonstration of renewed activity by 80 C heating of purified toxin requires potent toxin preparations and brief heating periods. Hemolysis of erythrocytes of several animal species by purified alpha-toxin was generally similar to that produced by impure toxin. Rabbit cells were most susceptible. Human and horse erythrocytes hemolyzed to less than 0.1% of the extent of rabbit cells. Blood cells of other species were intermediate in their response to the lytic effect of alpha-toxin.     

Human mononuclear leukocyte transglutaminase activity is enhanced by streptococcal erythrogenic toxin and a staphylococcal mitogenic factor associated with toxic shock syndrome

Transglutaminase activity in human peripheral lymphocytes is enhanced after incubation of the cells with concanavalin A. Streptococcal proliferative factor toxin (erythrogenic toxin) from Streptococcus pyogenes and Toxic shock syndrome toxin from Staphylococcus aureus were purified and tested for their ability to enhance transglutaminase activity. Mononuclear leukocyte transglutaminase activity was enhanced 3–5-fold 30 min after incubation with either toxin. Enhancement occurred only when toxin was incubated with intact cells; addition of toxin to cell lysates was without effect. Transglutaminase was not measurable extracellularly. Histamine and dansyl cadaverine, competitive substrates for transglutaminase, inhibited [³H]putrescine incoporation into casein and [³H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. Incubation of lymphocytes with cycloheximide and either toxin or concanavalin A did not inhibit enzyme activity. These bacterial toxins, like phytomitogens, may perturb the cellular membrane and mediate their effect by transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking of membrane proteins.     

Purification and biochemical characterization of a fibrinolytic enzyme from Bacillus subtilis BK-17

A fibrinolytic enzyme from Bacillus subtilis BK-17 has been purified to homogeneity by gel-filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Compared to the crude enzyme extract, the specific activity of the enzyme increased 929-fold with a recovery of 29%. The subunit molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 31 kDa by SDS–PAGE. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified fibrinolytic enzyme was: A-Q-S-V-P-Y-G-V-S-Q-I-K-A-P-A-A-H-N. The sequence was highly homologous to the fibrinolytic enzymes nattokinase, subtilisin J and subtilisin E from Bacillus spp. However, there was a substitution of three amino acid residues in the N-terminal sequence. The amidolytic activity of the purified enzyme for several substrates was assessed. In comparison with nattokinase and CK (fibrinolytic enzyme from a Bacillus spp.), which showed strong fibrinolytic activity, the amidolytic activity of the enzyme for the synthetic substrate, kallikrein (H-D-Val-Leu-Arg-pNA, S-2266) increased 2.4- and 11.8-fold, respectively.     

Binding and cytotoxic effects of Clostridium botulinum type A, C1 and E toxins in primary neuron cultures from foetal mouse brains

Binding of purified Clostridium botulinum type A, C1 and E toxins to cultured cells was studied by an immunocytochemical method. Type A and C1 toxins bound strongly to neuron cultures prepared from brains of foetal mice, but binding of type E toxin was weak. None of the toxin types bound to the feeder layer, composed of non-neuronal cells. The heavy-chain component of the type C1 toxin bound to neurons, but the light chain component did not. Type C1 toxin also bound only to cell lines of neuronal origin. When type C1 toxin [final concentration 4 x 10(2) LD50 (10 ng) per well] was added to primary neuron cultures in 96-well plates, degeneration of neuronal processes and rounding of neuronal somas were observed, but type A and E toxins did not produce such changes. The binding and cytotoxic activities of type C1 toxin were blocked by heat treatment (80 degrees C for 30 min) or by preincubation of the toxin with polyclonal anti-C1 IgG and some of the monoclonal antibodies which neutralized the toxin activity in mice. In the neuronal processes treated with C1 toxin, many degenerated mitochondria, membranous dense bodies and vesicles were observed by electron microscopy; these ultrastructural changes were similar to those of Wallerian degeneration in vivo.     

Purification and characterization of a fibrinolytic enzyme from venom of the southern copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix)

A fibrinolytic enzyme present in Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix (southern copperhead) venom has been purified by combination of CM-cellulose chromatography, molecular sieve chromatography on Sephadex G-100, p-aminobenzamidine-agarose affinity chromatography, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The enzyme, fibrolase, has a molecular weight of 23,000-24,000 and an isoelectric point of pH 6.8. It is composed of approximately 200 amino acids, possesses a blocked NH2-terminus and contains little or no carbohydrate. The enzyme shows no activity against a series of chromogenic p-nitroanilide substrates and is not inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate, soybean trypsin inhibitor, Trasylol, or p-chloromercuribenzoate. However, the enzyme is a metalloproteinase since it is inhibited by EDTA, o-phenanthroline and tetraethylenepentamine (a specific zinc chelator). Metal analysis revealed 1 mol of zinc/mol of protein. Study of cleavage site preference of the fibrinolytic enzyme using the oxidized B chain of insulin revealed that specificity is similar to other snake venom metalloproteinases with cleavage primarily directed to an X-Leu bond. Interestingly, unlike some other venom fibrinolytic metalloproteinases, fibrolase exhibits little if any hemorrhagic activity. The enzyme exhibits direct fibrinolytic activity and does not activate plasminogen. In vitro studies revealed that fibrolase dissolves clots made either from purified fibrinogen or from whole blood.     

Purification and characterization of the fibrinolytic principle of Agkistrodon acutus venom.

By means of DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography, Agkistrodon acutus venom was separated into twelve fractions. The fibrinolytic activity was concentrated in Fraction 9. This fraction was rechromatographed on Sephadex G-75 three times and a single peak was obtained. The patterns of microzone and disc electrophoresis also showed a single band. A single, symmetrical boundary with a value of 2.44 S was obtained by ultracentrifugation, the molecular weight of which was estimated to be 24 100, and the isoelectric point 3.8. The specific activity was four times higher than that of crude venom. The optimal pH value on fibrinolysis was 7.4. In addition to fibrinolytic activity, the purified principle also had fibrinogenolytic and caseinolytic activities. The purified fibrinolytic principle had a specific action on the a(A) chain subunit of fibrinogen, leaving the beta(B) chain and the gamma chain unaffected.     

Pertussis toxin facilitates the progesterone-induced maturation of Xenopus oocyte. Possible role of protein phosphorylation

Progesterone triggers the first meiotic cell division of Xenopus oocyte and inhibits cAMP synthesis. The effect of pertussis toxin purified from Bordetella pertussis was tested on the maturation of Xenopus oocyte. The toxin did not inhibit progesterone-induced resumption of meiosis or the hormone-induced drop in cAMP level. This indicates that progesterone action is not mediated by the Ni subunit of the oocyte adenylate cyclase. Furthermore, pertussis toxin caused a reduction in the time course of maturation correlated with the precocious appearance of an alkali stable 47 kDa phosphoprotein, a marker of the maturation promoting factor (MPF) activity. Pertussis toxin effects mimicked those of 2-glycerophosphate suggesting that both agents act on the steady-state level of phosphorylation implicated in MPF activity.     

Characterization of a metalloenzyme from a wild mushroom, Tricholoma saponaceum

Two kinds of metalloendopeptidases from the fruiting bodies of Tricholoma saponaceum (TSMEP1 and TSMEP2) have been purified, and TSMEP1 has been characterized based on their fibrinolytic activity. The enzymes have the same N-terminal amino acid sequence, Ala-Leu-Tyr-Val-Gly-X-Ser-Pro-X-Gln-Gln-Ser-Leu-Leu-Val, but slightly different molecular weights of 18,147 and 17,947, as measured by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The N-terminal sequence do not match with any known protein or open reading frame. TSMEP1 hydrolyzes fibrinogen as well as fibrin, but does not show any proteolytic activity for other blood proteins such as thrombin, human albumin, human IgG, hemoglobin, or urokinase. The enzyme hydrolyzes both A alpha and B beta subunits of human fibrinogen with equal efficiency but didn't show any reactivity for the gamma form of human fibrinogen. The enzymatic activity is strongly inhibited by EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline, indicating that the enzymes are metalloproteases. No inhibition was found with phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), L-trans-epoxysuccinyl leucylamido-(4-guanidino)-butane (E-64), pepstatin and 2-mercaptoethanol. The activity of the purified enzyme was increased by Mg2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, and Co2+, and slightly decreased by Ca2+, but the enzyme activity was dramatically decreased by Cu2+, and totally inhibited by Hg2+. It has broad substrate specificity for synthetic peptides, and keep the high activity from pH 7.5 to 9, suggesting that the purified enzyme was a basic protease. The enzyme was stable up to 30 degrees C and the maximum fibrinolytic activity was at 55 degrees C.     

Effects of Bacillus sphaericus 1593 and 2362 spore/crystal toxin on cultured mosquito cells

An in vitro assay system for the toxin of Bacillus sphaericus strains 1593 and 2362 has been developed utilizing cultured Culex quinquefasciatus cells. The cytotoxic activity of extracts of B. sphaericus strain 1593 did not necessarily correlate with insecticidal activity. Cytotoxicity and larvicidal activity were neutralized by immune rabbit serum prepared against crude toxin extracts as well as by serum prepared against purified toxin from strain 2362. This purified toxin was also found to be cytotoxic. Activation with mosquito larval gut homogenates enhanced cytotoxicity of both 1593 extracts and purified toxin from 2362. The activity of cytotoxic preparations against three mosquito cell lines paralleled the activity of B. sphaericus spores against larvae of these mosquito species. The results suggest the presence of a protoxin and one or more cytotoxic proteins derived from it.     

Purification and characterization of an organ specific haemorrhagic toxin from Vipera russelli russelli (Russell's viper) venom

A haemorrhagic toxin (VRR-12) from Vipera russelli russelli (Russell's viper) venom has been purified by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-Sephadex C-50 followed by size-exclusion HPLC to electrophoretically homogeneous state. It is a 12 kDa single polypeptide having 1 mole of Zn+2 ion. This toxin induces intense intestinal haemorrhage and to a lesser extent skeletal muscle haemorrhage in mice. It does not show detectable proteolytic and esterolytic activity with selected substrates under specified conditions, haemolytic and phospholipase activity. When VRR-12, preincubated with bivalent antiserum against Saw-scaled and Russell's viper venom or EDTA was injected, haemorrhagic activity was not reduced, on the other hand preincubation with phenylmethyl sulphonyl fluoride reduced the activity markedly. Biodistribution studies with 125I VRR-12 show that haemorrhagic manifestation by this toxin is not a direct function of the fraction of the totally administered toxin distributed to that tissue.     

Artificial hybrid protein containing a toxic protein fragment and a cell membrane receptor-binding moiety in a disulfide conjugate. II. Biochemical and biologic properties of diphtheria toxin fragment A-S-S-human placental lactogen.

The biochemical and biologic properties of a purified disulfide conjugate of diphtheria toxin fragment A and human placental lactogen (toxin A-hPL) have been studied by (a) assaying the ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of the intact conjugate, (b) assaying the binding of the intact conjugate to mammary gland plasma membrane lactogenic receptors, and (c) assaying the effect of the conjugate on the rate of protein synthesis in rabbit mammary gland explants maintained in organ culture. The toxin A-hPL conjugate retains one-third of the NAD+:EF-2 ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of toxin A, and 26% of the hPL-binding activity to lactogenic receptors. Binding activity was demonstrated by radioreceptor assay and by assaying toxin A activity bound to membranes which was competitively displaced by excess hPL. Since the toxin A-hPL conjugate retained activities of its separate subunits, it could be regarded as a structural analogue of nicked diphtheria toxin with replacement of the original membrane-binding chain by another binding chain that is specific for lactogenic receptor. However, the conjugate failed to inhibit protein synthesis in organ-cultured mammary gland explants, although these were sensitive to native diphtheria toxin and could bind hPL. It is concluded from these results that the toxin A-hPL conjugate does not act as a functional analogue of diphtheria toxin with altered receptor specificity, and that the hPL receptor cannot mediate the entry of toxin A or toxin A-hPL from membrane-bound conjugate into the cytosol site of action of toxin A.     

Purification and properties of mammalian toxins from the venom of the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus Lutz and Mello

The water-soluble part of the dried venom from the scorpion, Tityus serrulatus Lutz and Mello (range, Southeastern Brazil), showed 16 polypeptide bands on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This material exhibited toxic and hyaluronidase activity but no phospholipase, phosphodiesterase, protease, or fibrinolytic activity. Fractionation on glycinamide-treated Sephadex G-50 afforded three protein fractions, which were non-toxic, equitoxic, and three times more toxic than the water-soluble venom. Subsequent separation of the toxic fractions on carboxymethyl-cellulose with phosphate buffers furnished five toxic components, which were further purified on carboxymethyl-cellulose with a salt gradient in acetate buffer. Toxin γ, the major and most basic toxin, is a 62-residue protein that, unlike other scorpion toxins, contains methionine. Automated Edman degradation showed the amino-terminal sequence to be H-Lys-Glu-Gly-Tyr-Leu-Met-Asp-His-Glu-Gly-Cys-Lys-Leu-Ser-Cys-Phe-Ile-Arg-Pro-Ser-Gly-Tyr-Cys-Gly-Arg-Glu-Cys-Gly-Ile-. Toxin γ is the first example of a fifth structural type of mammalian toxin from scorpion venom. Its amino-terminal sequence shows greater homology with toxins similar to Centruroides suffusus suffusus toxin III and Androctonus australis toxin II than with toxins similar to A. australis toxin I or Bhutus occitanus tunetanus toxin I.     

A fibrinolytic metalloprotease from the fruiting bodies of an edible mushroom, Armillariella mellea

A fibrinolytic metalloprotease has been purified from the fruiting bodies of the edible honey mushroom (Armillariella mellea). The enzyme has a molecular weight of 18538.1508, as measured by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and includes Zn2+ ion as found by ICP/MS. The N-terminal amino acid sequence, XXYNGXTXSRQTTLV, do not match any known protein or open reading frame. It hydrolyzes fibrinogen as well as fibrin, but does not show any proteolytic activity for other blood proteins such as thrombin, human albumin, bovine albumin, human IgG, hemoglobin, or urokinase. This protease hydrolyzes both A alpha and B beta subunits of human fibrinogen with equal efficiency. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline, indicating that the enzyme is a metalloprotease. No inhibition was found with PMSF, E-64, pepstatin, and 2-mercaptoethanol. The activity of the purified enzyme was slightly increased by Mg2+, Zn2+, and Co2+, but the enzyme was totally inhibited by Hg2+. It has broad substrate specificity for synthetic peptides, and a pH optimum at 7, suggested that the purified enzyme was a neutral protease. It was thermally stable up to 60 degrees C and the maximum fibrinolytic activity was at 55 degrees C.     

Volatile and Nonvolatile Maillard Reaction Products between l-Lysine and d-Glucose

The killer toxin produced by the Pichia farinosa KK1 strain was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, ion-exchange chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC. The molecular weight of the killer toxin was about 25 kd and its isoelectric point was 6.4. A significant amount of carbohydrate was not detected in the purified killer toxin, suggesting that the toxin is not glycosylated. Its N-terminal amino acid sequence showed no homology with other proteins. The stability and efficacy of the toxin’s killer activity was examined. The toxin completely retained activity at pH 2.5 ~ 4.0 and 5°C, but lost activity at higher temperatures. Killer activity increased with increasing NaCl or KC1 concentration, although NaCl was more effective than KCl.     

Pertussis toxin inhibits autophosphorylation and activation of the insulin receptor kinase.

Pertussis toxin is an ADP-ribosyltransferase which alters the function of some of the GTP-binding proteins and inhibits some actions of insulin. In vivo, pertussis toxin (2 micrograms/ml/2h) inhibited insulin-stimulated tyrosyl autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor by 50% in FaO cells, and nearly completely inhibited phosphorylation of the cellular insulin receptor substrate pp185. Similarly, insulin-stimulated autophosphorylation and kinase activity of the insulin receptor purified on wheat germ agglutinin-agarose from pertussis toxin-treated FaO cells was diminished 50%; however, treatment of cells with the catalytically inactive B-oligomer of the toxin had no effect on receptor tyrosine kinase activity in vitro. Pertussis toxin did not alter insulin binding or the cellular levels of ATP, cAMP, and cGMP. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation of the insulin receptor from intact cells with anti-insulin receptor antibodies showed that pertussis toxin did not increase the phosphorylation of serine or threonine residues in the insulin receptor. These results suggest that pertussis toxin can modulate signal transduction of insulin at the level of the insulin receptor kinase.