Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B: Insights into Pathogenic Properties and Extraintestinal Effects
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has significant clinical impact especially on the elderly and/or immunocompromised patients. The pathogenicity of Clostridium difficile is mainly mediated by two exotoxins: toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB). These toxins primarily disrupt the cytoskeletal struct...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2016-05-01
|
| Series: | Toxins |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/8/5/134 |
| _version_ | 1811300614937772032 |
|---|---|
| author | Stefano Di Bella Paolo Ascenzi Steven Siarakas Nicola Petrosillo Alessandra di Masi |
| author_facet | Stefano Di Bella Paolo Ascenzi Steven Siarakas Nicola Petrosillo Alessandra di Masi |
| author_sort | Stefano Di Bella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has significant clinical impact especially on the elderly and/or immunocompromised patients. The pathogenicity of Clostridium difficile is mainly mediated by two exotoxins: toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB). These toxins primarily disrupt the cytoskeletal structure and the tight junctions of target cells causing cell rounding and ultimately cell death. Detectable C. difficile toxemia is strongly associated with fulminant disease. However, besides the well-known intestinal damage, recent animal and in vitro studies have suggested a more far-reaching role for these toxins activity including cardiac, renal, and neurologic impairment. The creation of C. difficile strains with mutations in the genes encoding toxin A and B indicate that toxin B plays a major role in overall CDI pathogenesis. Novel insights, such as the role of a regulator protein (TcdE) on toxin production and binding interactions between albumin and C. difficile toxins, have recently been discovered and will be described. Our review focuses on the toxin-mediated pathogenic processes of CDI with an emphasis on recent studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T06:53:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-59102c6721bd4da8acf3054c28bb8ad7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6651 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T06:53:57Z |
| publishDate | 2016-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxins |
| spelling | doaj.art-59102c6721bd4da8acf3054c28bb8ad72022-12-22T02:57:18ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512016-05-018513410.3390/toxins8050134toxins8050134Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B: Insights into Pathogenic Properties and Extraintestinal EffectsStefano Di Bella0Paolo Ascenzi1Steven Siarakas2Nicola Petrosillo3Alessandra di Masi42nd Infectious Diseases Division, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “L. Spallanzani”, Rome 00149, ItalyDepartment of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome 00154, ItalyDepartment of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney 2139, Australia2nd Infectious Diseases Division, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “L. Spallanzani”, Rome 00149, ItalyDepartment of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome 00154, ItalyClostridium difficile infection (CDI) has significant clinical impact especially on the elderly and/or immunocompromised patients. The pathogenicity of Clostridium difficile is mainly mediated by two exotoxins: toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB). These toxins primarily disrupt the cytoskeletal structure and the tight junctions of target cells causing cell rounding and ultimately cell death. Detectable C. difficile toxemia is strongly associated with fulminant disease. However, besides the well-known intestinal damage, recent animal and in vitro studies have suggested a more far-reaching role for these toxins activity including cardiac, renal, and neurologic impairment. The creation of C. difficile strains with mutations in the genes encoding toxin A and B indicate that toxin B plays a major role in overall CDI pathogenesis. Novel insights, such as the role of a regulator protein (TcdE) on toxin production and binding interactions between albumin and C. difficile toxins, have recently been discovered and will be described. Our review focuses on the toxin-mediated pathogenic processes of CDI with an emphasis on recent studies.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/8/5/134Clostridium difficiletoxinspathogenesis |
| spellingShingle | Stefano Di Bella Paolo Ascenzi Steven Siarakas Nicola Petrosillo Alessandra di Masi Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B: Insights into Pathogenic Properties and Extraintestinal Effects Toxins Clostridium difficile toxins pathogenesis |
| title | Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B: Insights into Pathogenic Properties and Extraintestinal Effects |
| title_full | Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B: Insights into Pathogenic Properties and Extraintestinal Effects |
| title_fullStr | Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B: Insights into Pathogenic Properties and Extraintestinal Effects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B: Insights into Pathogenic Properties and Extraintestinal Effects |
| title_short | Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B: Insights into Pathogenic Properties and Extraintestinal Effects |
| title_sort | clostridium difficile toxins a and b insights into pathogenic properties and extraintestinal effects |
| topic | Clostridium difficile toxins pathogenesis |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/8/5/134 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stefanodibella clostridiumdifficiletoxinsaandbinsightsintopathogenicpropertiesandextraintestinaleffects AT paoloascenzi clostridiumdifficiletoxinsaandbinsightsintopathogenicpropertiesandextraintestinaleffects AT stevensiarakas clostridiumdifficiletoxinsaandbinsightsintopathogenicpropertiesandextraintestinaleffects AT nicolapetrosillo clostridiumdifficiletoxinsaandbinsightsintopathogenicpropertiesandextraintestinaleffects AT alessandradimasi clostridiumdifficiletoxinsaandbinsightsintopathogenicpropertiesandextraintestinaleffects |