Role of Toll-like receptor 4 in the proinflammatory response to Vibrio cholerae O1 El tor strains deficient in production of cholera toxin and accessory toxins

Following intranasal inoculation, Vibrio cholerae KFV101 (Delta ctxAB Delta hapA Delta hlyA Delta rtx4) colonizes and stimulates tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) in mice, similar to what occurs with isogenic strain P4 (Delta ctxAB), but is less virulent and stimulates reduced levels of IL-6, demonstrating a role for accessory toxins in pathogenesis. Morbidity is enhanced in C3H/HeJ mice, indicating that Toll-like receptor 4 is important for infection containment.