Multidrug-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli surface receptors (MDR UPEC surface receptors)

Multidrug-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (MDR UPEC) surface receptors represent a broad category of proteins located on the outer membrane of E. coli strains responsible for complicated urinary tract infections. These receptors, including adhesins like FimH and PapG, porins such as OmpC, and iron-acquisition receptors like FyuA, are critical for bacterial survival, colonization of the urinary tract, and evasion of the host immune system (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2019). In the context of multidrug resistance, these surface structures often undergo modifications that limit antibiotic penetration or facilitate the expulsion of therapeutic agents. Targeting these receptors is a major area of research for developing 'anti-virulence' therapies, which aim to prevent infection by blocking bacterial attachment to the bladder wall without exerting the selective pressure that leads to traditional antibiotic resistance (Journal of Molecular Biology, 2021). Because this term describes a heterogeneous group of proteins rather than a single molecular entity, it is generally considered a target class rather than a specific therapeutic target.

Other names

UPEC adhesinsUPEC outer membrane proteinsUropathogenic E. coli surface antigens

Drugs targeting these receptors typically work by inhibiting bacterial attachment to host uroepithelial cells (anti-adhesion therapy), blocking nutrient (iron) uptake, or bypassing/inhibiting porin-mediated resistance mechanisms to allow antibiotic entry.