Advance in Shiga toxin / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Shiga toxin (Stx), which can be divided into Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1) and Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2), is an important virulence factor of Shigella spp. and certain strains of Escherichia coli. Stx, enco-ded by λ-like phage, blocks protein synthesis through removal of an adenine residue from the 28S rRNA. Stx can also induce apoptosis through multiple pathways. Humans may suffer from diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis ( HC) and hemolytic uremic syndrome ( HUS) and even death when infected with Shiga toxin-producing bac-teria. At present, there is no specific treatment for diseases caused by Stx. In recent years, the application of Stx in cancer therapy and imaging has aroused great interest. This review provided a brief overview of Stx in its nomenclature, typing, structure, genetics, pathogenesis and application perspectives.