This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Paananen, A.
Right arrow Articles by Timonen, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Paananen, A.
Right arrow Articles by Timonen, T.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infection and Immunity, January 2000, p. 165-169, Vol. 68, No. 1
0019-9567/0/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of Human NK Cell Function by Valinomycin, a Toxin from Streptomyces griseus in Indoor Air

Auli Paananen,1,* Raimo Mikkola,2 Timo Sareneva,3 Sampsa Matikainen,3 Maria Andersson,2 Ilkka Julkunen,3 Mirja S. Salkinoja-Salonen,2 and Tuomo Timonen1

Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute,1 and Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology,2 FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, and Department of Virology, National Public Health Institute, FIN-00300 Helsinki,3 Finland

Received 20 August 1999/Returned for modification 30 September 1999/Accepted 18 October 1999

Streptomyces griseus strains isolated from indoor dust have been shown to synthesize valinomycin. In this report, we show that human peripheral blood lymphocytes treated with small doses (30 ng ml-1) of pure valinomycin or high-pressure liquid chromatography-pure valinomycin from S. griseus quickly show mitochondrial swelling and reduced NK cell activity. Larger doses (>100 ng/ml-1) induced NK cell apoptosis within 2 days. Within 2 h, the toxin at 100 ng ml-1 dramatically inhibited interleukin-15 (IL-15)- and IL-18-induced granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma ) production by NK cells. However, IFN-gamma production induced by a combination of IL-15 and IL-18 was somewhat less sensitive to valinomycin, suggesting a protective effect of the cytokine combination against valinomycin. Thus, valinomycin in very small doses may profoundly alter the immune response by reducing NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine production.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, POB 21, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. Phone: 358 9 19126517. Fax: 358 9 19126675. E-mail: auli.paananen{at}helsinki.fi.

Infection and Immunity, January 2000, p. 165-169, Vol. 68, No. 1
0019-9567/0/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Pessi, A.-M., Suonketo, J., Pentti, M., Kurkilahti, M., Peltola, K., Rantio-Lehtimaki, A. (2002). Microbial Growth Inside Insulated External Walls as an Indoor Air Biocontamination Source. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 963-967 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Peltola, J. S. P., Andersson, M. A., Kampfer, P., Auling, G., Kroppenstedt, R. M., Busse, H.-J., Salkinoja-Salonen, M. S., Rainey, F. A. (2001). Isolation of Toxigenic Nocardiopsis Strains from Indoor Environments and Description of Two New Nocardiopsis Species, N. exhalans sp. nov. and N. umidischolae sp. nov.. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 4293-4304 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Peltola, J., Andersson, M. A., Haahtela, T., Mussalo-Rauhamaa, H., Rainey, F. A., Kroppenstedt, R. M., Samson, R. A., Salkinoja-Salonen, M. S. (2001). Toxic-Metabolite-Producing Bacteria and Fungus in an Indoor Environment. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 3269-3274 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»