IDENTIFICATION OF A CYTOLYTIC PROTEIN IN THE CELOMIC FLUID OF EISENIA-FOETIDA EARTHWORMS

Total coelomic fluid of earthworms Eisenia foetida (Oligochaeta, Annel ida) is capable of lysing different mammalian tumor cell lines. This c ytolytic activity is different from tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-mediat ed lysis and is not due to proteolysis. Total coelomic fluid was subje cted to ion-exchange chromatography separation and a fraction with pro minent cytolytic activity was used to elicit monoclonal antibodies tha t were screened for their capacity to neutralize the cytolytic effect of total coelomic fluid. One of the prepared neutralizing IgG antibodi es was used for the immunoaffinity purification of a cytolytic factor from total coelomic fluid. SDS-PAGE and Western blot analyses revealed a protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 42 kDa. This cyto lytic protein (termed CCF-1 or coelomic cytolytic factor 1) can be ads orbed on the surface of opsonized particles and may be involved in ops onizing and hemolytic effects of coelomic fluid.