PROPERTIES OF YERSINIA-ENTEROCOLITICA PORINS - INTERFERENCE WITH BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF PHAGOCYTES, NITRIC-OXIDE PRODUCTION AND SELECTIVE CYTOKINE RELEASE

We have extracted and purified Yersinia enterocolitica ATCC 9610 porin s that have molecular weights of 36-38 kDa. They inhibited phagocytosi s and phagosome-lysosome fusion (30 %) in human monocytes and caused e nhanced nitrite production. Preincubation of polymorphonuclear neutrop hils with porins (1-10 mu g/ml/10(6) cells) induced a reduction in che motaxis, adherence to nylon wool and chemiluminescence. Human lymphomo nocytes treated with Y. enterocolitica porins showed a distinctive cyt okine profile. Interleukin-1 alpha, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor alpha were released within 3-6 h, while interleukin-8, gamma in terferon and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor were rel eased after 18 h. Interleukin-3 and interleukin-4 were not detected at up to 48 h of incubation. In conclusion, these immunomodulating and h istotropic properties may account for Y. enterocolitica infection and its sequelae.