title: The cell death response to enteropathogenic Escherichia coli infection.
abstract: Given the critical roles of inflammation and programmed cell death in fighting infection, it is not surprising that many bacterial pathogens have evolved strategies to inactivate these defences. The causative agent of infant diarrhoea, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), is an extracellular, intestinal pathogen that blocks both inflammation and programmed cell death. EPEC attaches to enterocytes, remains in the gut lumen and utilizes a type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject multiple virulence effector proteins directly into the infected cell, many of which subvert host antimicrobial processes through the disruption of signalling pathways. Recently, T3SS effector proteins from EPEC have been identified that inhibit death receptor-induced apoptosis. Here we review the mechanisms used by EPEC T3SS effectors to manipulate apoptosis and promote host cell survival and discuss the role of these activities during infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, 3000, Australia.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wong Fok Lung
authors.forename: Jaclyn S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schuelein
authors.forename: Elizabeth L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Hartland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D020895:Enterocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D054308:Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans