Virulence of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli: role of molecular crosstalk.

Many bacterial exotoxins, originally defined by cytopathic effects, may also possess additional biological activities. The capacity of exotoxins to elicit the synthesis and secretion of pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines may be as important as their direct toxic effects in pathogenesis. One example of such 'molecular crosstalk' occurs between Shiga toxins and the cytokines made in response to these toxins during the development of disease.