title: Modulation of connexin signaling by bacterial pathogens and their toxins.
abstract: Inherent to their pivotal tasks in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis, gap junctions, connexin hemichannels, and pannexin hemichannels are frequently involved in the dysregulation of this critical balance. The present paper specifically focuses on their roles in bacterial infection and disease. In particular, the reported biological outcome of clinically important bacteria including Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Yersinia enterocolitica, Helicobacter pylori, Bordetella pertussis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter rodentium, Clostridium species, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus and their toxic products on connexin- and pannexin-related signaling in host cells is reviewed. Particular attention is paid to the underlying molecular mechanisms of these effects as well as to the actual biological relevance of these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Centre for Pharmaceutical Research, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium. lceelen@vub.ac.be
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ceelen
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vanhaecke
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rogiers
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vinken
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D017630:Connexins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology*; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D017630:Connexins