Clostridioides difficile toxins and surface antigens (C. difficile toxins/antigens)

Clostridioides difficile toxins and associated surface/lysate antigens are the primary virulence factors and structural components of the Gram-positive bacterium C. difficile, which is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis (Crobach et al., 2016). The major toxins, Toxin A (TcdA) and Toxin B (TcdB), are large glucosyltransferases that target and inactivate Rho-family GTPases within host intestinal epithelial cells, resulting in cytoskeletal disruption, cell death, and a robust inflammatory response (Kuehne et al., 2010). Surface antigens, such as surface layer proteins (SLPs), flagellar proteins (FliC, FliD), and the protease Cwp84, play critical roles in the adhesion and colonization of the bacterium within the host gut (Péchiné et al., 2013). These molecules are significant therapeutic targets; for instance, the monoclonal antibody bezlotoxumab specifically binds and neutralizes TcdB to reduce the recurrence of C. difficile infection (Wilcox et al., 2017). Furthermore, various vaccine candidates utilize toxoids or recombinant fragments of these antigens to elicit protective immunity, aiming to prevent both the initial infection and subsequent relapses (Péchiné et al., 2013).

Other names

C. difficile toxins A and BTcdA and TcdBClostridium difficile antigensC. diff lysate antigensSurface layer proteins (SLPs)C. difficile virulence factors

Neutralization of Toxin A and Toxin B to prevent intestinal epithelial damage and induction of immune responses against surface antigens to inhibit bacterial colonization.