Abstract
Heat-labile toxin (LT) is a well-characterized powerful enterotoxin produced by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). This toxin is known to contribute to diarrhea in young children in developing countries, international travelers, as well as many different species of young animals. Interestingly, it has also been revealed that LT is involved in other activities in addition to its role in enterotoxicity. Recent studies have indicated that LT toxin enhances enteric pathogen adherence and subsequent intestinal colonization. LT has also been shown to act as a powerful adjuvant capable of upregulating vaccine antigenicity; it also serves as a protein or antigenic peptide display platform for new vaccine development, and can be used as a naturally derived cell targeting and protein delivery tool. This review summarizes the epidemiology, secretion, delivery, and mechanisms of action of LT, while also highlighting new functions revealed by recent studies.
Highlights
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a type of E. coli that is characterized by its ability to produce heat-labile (LT) and/or heat-stable (ST) enterotoxins
We demonstrated that when three copies of the STa toxoid mutant were fused to LTR192G, both neutralized anti-STa and anti-labile toxin (LT) antibodies were induced in mice that had been immunized with this fusion protein (Zhang et al, 2010; Liu et al, 2011, 2015). double mutant LT (dmLT) was first developed by Norton and used as an oral adjuvant for tetanus toxoid
LT plays a significant role in the enhancement of bacterial adherence, the modulation of immune responses, and the delivery of fused foreign antigens
Summary
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a type of E. coli that is characterized by its ability to produce heat-labile (LT) and/or heat-stable (ST) enterotoxins. Both LTA and LTB subunits are required for LT-mediated enhancement of bacterial adherence.
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