Identification of subunits of cholera toxin in stool specimens of patients with campylobacteriosis by Western immunoblotting

Western immunoblot analysis of stool filtrates obtained from two bacteriologically proven campylobacteriosis patients with rabbit anti-cholera toxin IgG revealed antigens of two molecular weight groups which exactly corresponded to the positions of the A1 (21 kD) and B (11 kD) subunits of cleaved pure cholera toxin. The separated transblotted stool polypeptides of the two patients did not react with anti-labile toxin IgG of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli . Sterile stool filtrates of the two patients suffering from campylobacteriosis elicited a cytolethal distending effect in CHO and HeLa cells. Results of this study indicate that the Campylobacter toxin has immunological similarity to cholera toxin but there appear to be functional differences between the two toxins.