Bhakdi S
Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Bundesrepublik Deutschland.
Wien Klin Wochenschr. 1998 Oct 16;110(19):660-8.
Microbial toxins represent major virulence determinants of pathogenic bacteria. Endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides of the gram-negative bacterial cell wall. They exert their action via deregulating host cell function and stimulating cytokine overproduction. Exotoxins are proteins that can conveniently be grouped into three major categories. The first are intracellularly active molecules, all of which have to date been identified as enzymes. The second are membrane-damaging molecules, most of which create transmembrane pores. The third are the superantigens that cross-link T cells with antigen-presenting cells, thus causing cytokine overproduction. Most pathogens elaborate several toxins that can synergize in their detrimental action. Research on microbial toxins has fundamentally advanced our understanding of the pathogenesis of bacterial infections in the past two decades.
微生物毒素是病原菌主要的毒力决定因素。内毒素是革兰氏阴性菌细胞壁的脂多糖。它们通过破坏宿主细胞功能和刺激细胞因子过度产生来发挥作用。外毒素是蛋白质，可方便地分为三大类。第一类是细胞内活性分子，迄今为止所有这些分子都被鉴定为酶。第二类是破坏膜的分子，其中大多数会形成跨膜孔。第三类是超抗原，它使T细胞与抗原呈递细胞交联，从而导致细胞因子过度产生。大多数病原体产生几种毒素，这些毒素在其有害作用中可协同发挥作用。在过去二十年中，对微生物毒素的研究从根本上推进了我们对细菌感染发病机制的理解。
