Abstract
Certain strains of Escherichia coli have been indicated as a risk factor for colon cancer. E. coli is a normal inhabitant of the human intestine that becomes pathogenic, especially in extraintestinal sites, following the acquisition of virulence factors, including the protein toxin CNF1. This Rho GTPases-activating toxin induces dysfunctions in transformed epithelial cells, such as apoptosis counteraction, pro-inflammatory cytokines' release, COX2 expression, NF-kB activation and boosted cellular motility. As cancer may arise when the same regulatory pathways are affected, it is conceivable to hypothesize that CNF1-producing E. coli infections can contribute to cancer development. This review focuses on those aspects of CNF1 related to transformation, with the aim of contributing to the identification of a new possible carcinogenic agent from the microbial world.
MeSH terms
-
Apoptosis / drug effects
-
Bacterial Toxins / chemistry
-
Bacterial Toxins / toxicity*
-
Colonic Neoplasms / etiology
-
Colonic Neoplasms / microbiology*
-
Cyclooxygenase 2 / genetics
-
Cyclooxygenase 2 / metabolism
-
Cytokines / metabolism
-
Epithelial Cells / drug effects
-
Epithelial Cells / metabolism
-
Escherichia coli / metabolism*
-
Escherichia coli Proteins / chemistry
-
Escherichia coli Proteins / toxicity*
-
Humans
-
Intestines / microbiology
-
Intestines / pathology
-
NF-kappa B / genetics
-
NF-kappa B / metabolism
-
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics
-
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
-
Risk Factors
-
Signal Transduction
-
Virulence Factors
-
rho GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
Substances
-
Bacterial Toxins
-
Cytokines
-
Escherichia coli Proteins
-
NF-kappa B
-
Virulence Factors
-
cytotoxic necrotizing factor type 1
-
Cyclooxygenase 2
-
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
-
rho GTP-Binding Proteins