Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Downing LLP, London, UK.
Mult Scler. 2023 Aug;29(9):1057-1063. doi: 10.1177/13524585231186899. Epub 2023 Jul 22.
epsilon toxin is associated with enterotoxaemia in livestock. More recently, it is proposed to play a role in multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans. Compared to matched controls, strains of which produce epsilon toxin are significantly more likely to be isolated from the gut of MS patients and at significantly higher levels; similarly, sera from MS patients are significantly more likely to contain antibodies to epsilon toxin. Epsilon toxin recognises the myelin and lymphocyte (MAL) protein receptor, damaging the blood-brain barrier and brain cells expressing MAL. In the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model of MS, the toxin enables infiltration of immune cells into the central nervous system, inducing an MS-like disease. These studies provide evidence that epsilon toxin plays a role in MS, but do not yet fulfil Koch's postulates in proving a causal role.
epsilon 毒素与家畜的肠毒血症有关。最近，有人提出它在人类多发性硬化症（MS）中起作用。与匹配的对照相比，产生 epsilon 毒素的菌株更有可能从 MS 患者的肠道中分离出来，而且水平显著更高；同样，MS 患者的血清也更有可能含有针对 epsilon 毒素的抗体。epsilon 毒素识别髓鞘和淋巴细胞（MAL）蛋白受体，损害血脑屏障和表达 MAL 的脑细胞。在 MS 的实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎模型中，该毒素使免疫细胞渗透到中枢神经系统，诱导类似于 MS 的疾病。这些研究提供了证据表明 epsilon 毒素在 MS 中起作用，但尚未满足科赫假设来证明其因果作用。
