OPINION

The hypothesis of tissue-specific action of diphtheria toxin

Aleshin AV
About authors

Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia

Correspondence should be addressed: Anton Aleshin
Altufevskoe shosse, d. 62a, kv. 40, Moscow, Russia, 127549; moc.liamg@notnahsela

About paper

Acknowledgements: author thanks professor Lyudmila Kafarskaya from Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University for encouraging his interest in the scientific work and for invaluable advices in the preparation of the manuscript.

Received: 2016-06-26 Accepted: 2016-10-13 Published online: 2017-01-05
|

Diphtheria is an infection caused by toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The pathogen releases the toxin that affects heart, kidneys, adrenal gland, as well as spinal and cerebral nerves. Tissue- and organ-specific action of diphtheria toxin is considered to be associated with the blood supply to these organs. We propose the hypothesis that takes into account the physical and chemical properties of the toxin molecule (positively charged R-domain in the B subunit) and cell expression of different types of the HB-EGF receptor and CD9 co-receptor, which are responsible for the toxin penetration into the cell. The proposed hypothesis explains the possible mechanisms of diphtheria complications.

Keywords: diphtheria, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, diphtheria toxin, HB-EGF receptor, CD9 co-receptor, tissue specificity, organ specificity

КОММЕНТАРИИ (0)