title: Promiscuous Shiga toxin 2e and its intimate relationship to Forssman.
abstract: Shiga toxin (Stx) 2e of Stx-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) represents the major virulence factor responsible for the pig edema disease which is characterized by hemorrhagic lesions, neurological disorders and often fatal outcomes. Stx2e-producing strains from the intestine of slaughtered pigs (n = 3), feces of piglets with postweaning diarrhea or edema disease (n = 12) and feces of humans with asymptomatic infections or mild diarrhea (n = 13) were comparatively analyzed for the binding specificities of Stx2e to glycosphingolipids (GSLs) of the globo-series. Besides equivalent binding towards globotriaosylceramide (Gb3Cer) and globotetraosylceramide (Gb4Cer), we could demonstrate specific interaction of Stx2e preparations from human and porcine STEC isolates with Forssman GSL. Notably, Forssman GSL was recognized neither by structurally closely related Stx2 nor by Stx1 derived from human STEC isolates conferring Stx2e a unique recognition feature. Noteworthy, 7 (54%) of the 13 human and 8 (53%) of the 15 pig Stx2e samples exhibited cytotoxic action towards human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Our findings provide a basis for further exploring the functional role of the promiscuous receptor repertoire of Stx2e and the exact nature of the mechanisms that underlie different pathological outcomes of Stx2e-producing STEC in humans and pigs.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene, University of Münster, D-48149 Münster, Germany. jm@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müthing
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meisen
authors.forename: Wenlan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bielaszewska
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mormann
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bauerfeind
authors.forename: M Alexander
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Alexander W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D005243:Feces; D005915:Globosides / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D055806:Microvessels / Q000166:cytology; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D005915:Globosides; D022641:Shiga Toxin 2; C010163:Forssman glycolipid