Porie-vormende toxines bij bacteriële infecties

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• Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) form a large group of bacterial virulence factors that play an important role in various infectious diseases. These include infections with problematic pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, group A and B streptococci, Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

• PFTs perforate host cell membranes, which contributes to the establishment or exacerbation of an infection mainly in two ways: first, by disrupting the host immune response, and second, by helping bacteria to cross epithelial and endothelial barriers, thus allowing them to spread to other parts of the host.

• Although perforation of the plasma membrane can lead to host cell death, cells possess molecular defence mechanisms and under certain conditions can successfully defend themselves against PFTs.

• PFTs, as well as the immune response against PFTs, form a potential target for novel prophylactics and therapeutics against bacterial infectious disease, including against antibiotic-resistant strains.