AUTHOR=Sheikh Alaullah , Fleckenstein James M. 

TITLE=Interactions of pathogenic Escherichia coli with CEACAMs

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1120331

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2023.1120331

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>The pathogenic <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> can be parsed into specific variants (pathovars) depending on their phenotypic behavior and/or expression of specific virulence factors. These pathogens are built around chromosomally-encoded core attributes and through acquisition of specific virulence genes that direct their interaction with the host. Engagement of <italic>E. coli</italic> pathovars with CEACAMs is determined both by core elements common to all <italic>E. coli</italic> as well as extrachromosomally-encoded pathovar-specific virulence traits, which target amino terminal immunoglobulin variable-like (IgV) regions of CEACAMs. Emerging data suggests that engagement of CEACAMs does not unilaterally benefit the pathogen and that these interactions may also provide an avenue for pathogen elimination.</p>