MafK accelerates Salmonella mucosal infection through caspase-3 activation

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Shiyao Xu1, Guiqiu Hu1, Di Wu1

  • 1Department of Basic Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, Jilin, China.

Aging
|March 9, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma K (MafK) accelerates Salmonella pathogenesis by increasing epithelial cell apoptosis and caspase-3 activation. This heightened susceptibility impacts gastrointestinal homeostasis, particularly in conditions like ulcerative colitis.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology and Immunology
  • Microbial Pathogenesis
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Gastrointestinal homeostasis is vital for host health.
  • Increased Musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma K (MafK) expression is observed in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients.
  • The role of MafK in intestinal homeostasis remains largely uninvestigated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the significance of MafK in maintaining intestinal homeostasis.
  • To determine MafK's role in susceptibility to enteric bacterial infections, specifically Salmonella.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized MafK overexpressing transgenic (MafK Tg) mice and wild-type (WT) littermates.
  • Administered oral Salmonella infection to assess susceptibility, mortality, weight loss, and intestinal pathology.
  • Performed in vivo and in vitro experiments to evaluate epithelial cell apoptosis and caspase-3 activation.

Main Results:

  • MafK Tg mice exhibited increased susceptibility to Salmonella infection compared to WT mice.
  • MafK Tg mice showed higher mortality, greater weight loss, and exacerbated intestinal damage and inflammation.
  • Increased MafK expression promoted epithelial cell apoptosis via caspase-3 activation, facilitating Salmonella dissemination.

Conclusions:

  • MafK overexpression impairs the host's ability to control Salmonella colonization and dissemination.
  • MafK accelerates Salmonella pathogenesis by enhancing epithelial cell apoptosis through caspase-3 activation.
  • MafK plays a significant role in the inflammatory response during Salmonella infection, impacting gastrointestinal homeostasis.
Keywords:
MafKSalmonellaapoptosiscolitis

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