Journal
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
Volume 44, Issue 2, Pages 118-128Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2007.08.013
Keywords
Non-O1; Non-O139 Vibrio cholerae; Vibrio cholerae cytolysin; Pore-forming toxin; Apoptosis; Rabbit ileal loop; Enterotoxicity
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Funding
- National Council for Scientific Research
- Technology of Argentina (CONICET)
- Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica [ANPCyT-PICT 05-13446]
- Secretaria de Ciencia y Tecnica-Universidad Nacional de Cordoba
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Cholera toxin (CT) gene-negative Vibrio cholerae non-O1, non-O139 strains may cause severe diarrhea though their pathogenic mechanism remains unclear. V. cholerae cytolysin (VCC) is a pore-forming exotoxin encoded in the hlyA gene of V cholerae whose contribution to the pathogenesis is not fully understood. In this work, the virulence properties of a CT gene-negative V. cholerae non-O1, non-O139 strain causing a cholera-like syndrome were analyzed. Inoculation of rabbit ileal loops with the wild type strain induced extensive fluid accumulation, accompanied by severe histopathological damage characterized by villus shortening, lymphangiectasia. and focal areas of necrosis. These pathogenic effects were abrogated by mutation of the h1yA gene thus pointing out the main role of VCC in the virulence of the strain. Interestingly, this toxin was capable of triggering apoptosis in human intestinal cell lines due to its anion channel activity. Moreover, the wild type strain also induced increased apoptosis of the intestinal epithelium cells which was not observed upon inoculation of the VCC null mutant strain, indicating that VCC may trigger apoptotic cell death during infection in vivo. Altogether, these results support a main role of VCC in the pathogenesis of the CT gene-negative V. cholerae non-O1, non-O139 strain and identify apoptosis as a previously unrecognized cell death pathway triggered by VCC. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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