title: NIH conference. Cyclic nucleotides: mediators of bacterial toxin action in disease.
abstract: In several bacterial diseases, the clinical, laboratory, and histologic findings result from the elaboration by the organism of a toxic product that binds to and may enter the host cell to alter its metabolism. In some cases, the intracellular mediators of toxin action are the cyclic nucleotides, cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine 5'-monophosphate (cGMP), the ubiquitous second messengers through which numerous hormones, neurotransmitters, and drugs exert their effects. Certain toxins act by enhancing the activity of cellular enzymes that synthesize cAMP or cGMP; and others, by themselves catalyzing cAMP synthesis after entering the cell. Studies of the mechanism of action of these toxins have helped in deciphering the enzymatic components within animal cells that are responsible for cyclic nucleotide synthesis, degradation, and function as well as in understanding the pathogenesis of the diseases in which they are involved.
mesh_terms: D000246:Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose / Q000378:metabolism; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000201:enzymology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000201:enzymology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D009712:Nucleotides, Cyclic / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D009712:Nucleotides, Cyclic; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; C034151:heat stable toxin (E coli); D000246:Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose; D002772:Cholera Toxin; C027538:heat-labile enterotoxin, E coli; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D006152:Cyclic GMP