Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cytotoxins: Mechanisms of Cytotoxicity and Impact on Inflammatory Responses

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most virulent opportunistic Gram-negative bacterial pathogens in humans. It causes many acute and chronic infections with morbidity and mortality rates as high as 40%. P. aeruginosa owes its pathogenic versatility to a large arsenal of cell-associated and secreted virulence factors which enable this pathogen to colonize various niches within hosts and protect it from host innate immune defenses. Induction of cytotoxicity in target host cells is a major virulence strategy for P. aeruginosa during the course of infection. P. aeruginosa has invested heavily in this strategy, as manifested by a plethora of cytotoxins that can induce various forms of cell death in target host cells. In this review, we provide an in-depth review of P. aeruginosa cytotoxins based on their mechanisms of cytotoxicity and the possible consequences of their cytotoxicity on host immune responses.

Automated summary

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a highly virulent opportunistic Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that causes various acute and chronic infections in humans. Its pathogenicity is attributed to a wide range of cell-associated and secreted virulence factors, which allow the pathogen to colonize different niches within hosts and evade host innate immune defenses. Inducing cytotoxicity in host cells is a major virulence strategy for P. aeruginosa, and it has developed numerous cytotoxins that can induce different forms of cell death. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of P. aeruginosa cytotoxins, focusing on their mechanisms of cytotoxicity and their impact on host immune responses.