Protective role of autophagy against Vibrio Cholerae Cytolysin, a pore forming toxin from Vibrio cholerae.

GUTIERREZ, M.G.; SAKA, H. A.; CHINEN, I.; ZOPPINO, F.C. M.; YOSHIMORI, T.; BOCCO, J. L.; COLOMBO, M. I.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Año: 2007 vol. 104 p. 1829 - 1834

0027-8424

Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of cholera in humans. In addition to the criticalvirulence factors cholera toxin and toxin coregulated pilus, V. cholerae secretes V.cholerae cytolysin (VCC), a pore-forming exotoxin able to induce cell lysis and extensivevacuolation. We have shown that this vacuolation is related to the activation of autophagyin response to VCC action. Furthermore, we found that the autophagic pathway wasrequired to protect cells upon VCC intoxication. Based on additional data presented here,we propose a model aimed to explain the mechanism of cell protection. We postulatethat VCC-induced autophagic vacuoles, which display features of multivesicular bodies and enclose the toxin, are implicated in cell defense through VCC degradation involvingfusion with lysosomes.