3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NPA), an inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) at complex II of the mitochondrial electron transport chain induces cellular energy deficit and oxidative stress-related neurotoxicity. In the present study, we identified the site of reactive oxygen species production in mitochondria. 3-NPA increased O2- generation in mitochondria respiring on the complex I substrates pyruvate+malate, an effect fully inhibited by rotenone. Antimycin A increased O2- production in the presence of complex I and/or II substrates. Addition of 3-NPA markedly increased antimycin A-induced O2- production by mitochondria incubated with complex I substrates, but 3-NPA inhibited O2- formation driven with the complex II substrate succinate. At 0.6 microM, myxothiazol inhibits complex III, but only partially decreases complex I activity, and allowed 3-NPA-induced O2- formation; however, at 40 microM myxothiazol (which completely inhibits both complexes I and III) eliminated O2- production from mitochondria respiring via complex I substrates. These results indicate that in the presence of 3-NPA, mitochondria generate O2- from a site between the ubiquinol pool and the 3-NPA block in the respiratory complex II.

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This study attempted to determine whether cefuroxime was superior to cephalothin as a surrogate marker for cefpodoxime among urinary tract isolates. The MicroScan system (Siemens) was used to determine susceptibility for cephalothin and cefuroxime on consecutive cultures with a colony count of ¢50 000 organisms. Simultaneously, an Etest (bioMé rieux) for cefpodoxime was conducted. The cefpodoxime interpretation was compared to that of the other two agents, and the categorical agreement was calculated, defined as the percentage of identical susceptibility interpretations. Cefuroxime (83 %) had a significantly higher categorical agreement than cephalothin (63 %) among 300 isolates (P,0.01). The major error rate was 16 % for cephalothin and 3 % for cefuroxime. The very major error rate was 7 % for cephalothin and 14 % for cefuroxime among the 14 cefpodoxime-resistant isolates. For Escherichia coli, the major error rates were 15 % and 1 % for cephalothin and cefuroxime, respectively. Very major error rates were 9 % for both agents. Cefuroxime was a better predictor of cefpodoxime susceptibility than cephalothin, and appears to be the preferred surrogate agent for the MicroScan system, particularly for E. coli.

Bacillus anthracis' primary virulence factor is a tripartite anthrax toxin consisting of edema factor (EF), lethal factor (LF) and protective antigen (PA). In complex with PA, EF and LF are internalized via receptor-mediated endocytosis. EF is a calmodulindependent adenylate cyclase that induces tissue edema. LF is a zinc-metalloprotease that cleaves members of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases. Lethal toxin (LT: PA plus LF)-induced death of macrophages is primarily attributed to expression of the sensitive Nalp1b allele, inflammasome formation and activation of caspase-1, but early events that initiate these processes are unknown. Here we provide evidence that an early essential event in pyroptosis of alveolar macrophages is LF-mediated depletion of cellular ATP. The underlying mechanism involves interaction of LF with F 1 F 0 -complex gamma and beta subunits leading to increased ATPase activity in mitochondria. In support, mitochondrial DNA-depleted MH-S cells have decreased F 1 F 0 ATPase activity due to the lack of F 0 6 and F 0 8 polypeptides and show increased resistance to LT. We conclude that ATP depletion is an important early event in LT-induced sudden cell death and its prevention increases survival of toxin-sensitive cells.