Cytotoxicity of Bee Venom and Some of Its Chromatographic Fractions for Mouse Bone Marrow Stem Cells
Abstract
Mouse bone marrow cells were incubated (37 for 30 minutes) in the presence of bee venom, and then assayed for their ability to form hemopoietic splenic colonies when transfused into lethally X-irradiated recipient mice. It was found that at honey bee venom concentrations as low as 0.5 micrograms/ml (0.5 part per million by weight) the colony-forming ability of the marrow cells was annulled. Three constituents of bee venom, i.e., melittin, phospholipase A, and a surface-active fraction, separated and isolated by methods of Sephadex gel filtration chromatography were also evaluated for cytotoxicity on bone marrow cells. A marked decrease in yield of splenic colonies was observed with melittin and with the surfactant fraction at concentrations of 1 micrograms/ml, and the phospholipase A fraction was inhibitory at 4 micrograms/ml. It was found also that the synthetic cationic detergent 'Cyncal' (a quaternary amine) was cytotoxic for mouse bone marrow cells at 2 parts per million, whereas the non-ionic detergent, 'Triton X-100', did not inactivate the marrow stem cells at 10 parts per million. The basis for this potent biological effect of bee venom at the cellular level is briefly discussed; it is suggested that the cellular toxicity is mediated via effects at the cell surface.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 20, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0674502
Entities
People
- Leonard J. Cole
- William H. Shipman
Organizations
- Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory