ELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC DATA ON YERSINIA-PESTIS TOXIN EFFECT ON PHAGOCYTOSIS

Electron-microscopic study of the interaction of Y. pestis and periton eal phagocytes obtained from BALB mice, both intact and treated with t he toxic fraction of Y. pestis, has revealed that in the process of ph agocytosis the toxin weakens the killing and degradation phases of the se bacteria, but leaves the ingestion activity of phagocytes unchanged . The process of phagocytosis in mice exposed to toxin is accompanied by destructive changes of cells and redistribution of myeloperoxidase, a bactericidal enzyme, in polymorphonuclear leukocytes without any si gns of bacterial degradation.