Autophagy and toxins: a matter of life or death

• Published in: Current molecular medicine Vol. 13; no. 2; p. 241
• Main Authors: Mestre, M B, Colombo, M I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01-02-2013
• Subjects: Autophagy - genetics; Bacterial Toxins - metabolism; Bacterial Toxins - toxicity; Cell Membrane - chemistry; Cell Membrane - drug effects; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Cell Survival - genetics; Gram-Negative Bacteria - metabolism; Gram-Negative Bacteria - pathogenicity; Gram-Positive Bacteria - metabolism; Gram-Positive Bacteria - pathogenicity; HeLa Cells; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Phagosomes - drug effects; Phagosomes - metabolism; Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins - metabolism; Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins - toxicity; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Virulence Factors - metabolism; Virulence Factors - toxicity
• ISSN: 1875-5666
• DOI: 10.2174/156652413804810790

Bacterial protein toxins are important virulence factors. A particular class of toxins, the pore-form toxins (PFTs), shares the toxigenic mechanism of forming pores in the membrane of target cells. The relationship between autophagy and bacterial PFTs has been described for several toxin-secreting pathogens and in this review we have recapitulated the more recent findings on this issue. A common outcome is that the target cell, by a yet non-completely defined mechanism, senses the toxin attack and builds up complex responses as a protective mechanism for host survival. However, in some cases, this cellular response is beneficial to the microorganism by supplying an intracellular niche or by promoting host-cell death, which facilitates pathogen spreading.