Effects of Clostridium difficile Toxin on Tissue-Cultured Cells

A partially purified toxin of Clostridium difficile induced similar morphologic changes in three different tissue-cultured mammalian cell lines. The morphologic changes were not associated with biochemical changes identical to those caused by the enterotoxins of Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli. Although the mechanisms responsible for the noncytotoxic morphologic effects remain to be delineated, the toxin appears to exert its effects by directly affecting membrane constituents.