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[The receptors for bacterial enterotoxins]
1INRA, Laboratoire d'écologie et de physiologie du système digestif, Centre de recherches de Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Annales De Recherches Veterinaires. Annals of Veterinary Research
|January 1, 1991
Summary
Bacterial enterotoxins cause diarrhea by binding to specific receptors on digestive cells. This binding, often irreversible, involves the toxin
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Pathogenic bacteria produce bacterial enterotoxins that cause diarrhea in humans and animals.
- These toxins target specific receptors on the enterocyte brush border, influencing disease severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanism of bacterial enterotoxin interaction with host cell receptors.
- To understand the role of receptor characteristics in enterotoxin toxicity and specificity.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of enterotoxin binding to cell surface receptors.
- Characterization of receptor types (glycolipids, glycoproteins) and their distribution.
- Determination of receptor-toxin interaction sequences.
Main Results:
- Enterotoxins bind to specific glucoside chains on receptors like GM1.
- Receptor number, nature, structure, and specificity influence toxin toxicity.
- Enterotoxin binding is often irreversible due to internalization into the cell.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial enterotoxins utilize specific cell surface receptors for pathogenesis.
- Understanding these interactions is key to developing targeted therapies against enterotoxin-induced diarrhea.