Cytolethal distending toxin in isolates of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans from Ghanaian adolescents and association with serotype and disease progression.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

The cytolethal distending toxin (Cdt) is a highly conserved exotoxin that are produced by a number of Gram negative bacteria, including Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and affects mammalian cells by inhibiting cell division and causing apoptosis. A complete cdt-operon is present in the majority of A. actinomycetemcomitans, but the proportion of isolates that lack cdt-encoding genes (A, B and C) varies according to the population studied. The objectives of this study were to examine serotype, Cdt-genotype, and Cdt-activity in isolates of A. actinomycetemcomitans collected from an adolescent West African population and to examine the association between the carrier status of A. actinomycetemcomitans and the progression of attachment loss (AL).

Mate

SUBMITTER: Hoglund Aberg C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3683020 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature