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[Bacterial enterotoxins: structure, mode of action]
F Lucas1, M Popoff, G Corthier
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 are protein toxins that cause diarrhea and intestinal damage. They act through specific cell receptors, affecting gut function and fluid balance.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Toxicology
- Gastroenterology
Context:
- Enterotoxins are protein toxins produced by specific bacterial strains.
- These toxins are a significant cause of infectious diarrhea in humans and animals.
- They play a crucial role in digestive infections and associated pathologies.
Purpose:
- To elucidate the diverse structures and mechanisms of action of bacterial enterotoxins.
- To understand how enterotoxins interact with host cells and induce disease symptoms.
- To differentiate between enterotoxins that primarily affect fluid/electrolyte balance and those causing tissue damage.
Summary:
- Enterotoxins are macro-proteins from enterotoxic bacteria causing intestinal issues like diarrhea, with or without tissue damage.
- Mechanisms vary: some activate cyclase systems (e.g., cholera toxin, E. coli LT) affecting fluid flux, while others (e.g., C. difficile toxins A/B, verotoxin) disrupt cellular functions and cause inflammation.
- Most enterotoxins bind specifically to membrane receptors on enterocytes.
Impact:
- Provides a foundational understanding of enterotoxin-mediated diseases.
- Highlights the distinct molecular strategies employed by different enterotoxins.
- Informs potential therapeutic strategies targeting enterotoxin-receptor interactions or downstream cellular effects.