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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Implementation of a Permeable Membrane Insert-based Infection System to Study the Effects of Secreted Bacterial Toxins on Mammalian Host Cells
Published on: August 19, 2016
Shiga toxins--from cell biology to biomedical applications
Ludger Johannes1, Winfried Römer
1Institut Curie - Centre de Recherche and CNRS UMR144, Traffic, Signalling and Delivery Laboratory, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248 Paris Cedex 05, France. ludger.johannes@curie.fr
Abstract:
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli is an emergent pathogen that can induce haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The toxin has received considerable attention not only from microbiologists but also in the field of cell biology, where it has become a powerful tool to study intracellular trafficking. In this Review, we summarize the Shiga toxin family members and their structures, receptors, trafficking pathways and cellular targets. We discuss how Shiga toxin affects cells not only by inhibiting protein biosynthesis but also through the induction of signalling cascades that lead to apoptosis. Finally, we discuss how Shiga toxins might be exploited in cancer therapy and immunotherapy.
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