Inhibitors and Countermeasures against Bacterial and Plant Toxins

Dear Colleagues,

Inhibitors of bacterial and plant toxins are used as research tools to understand the mechanism of action of toxins. Inhibitors also form the basis for the development of drugs to treat intoxications and bacterial infections. Thus, inhibitors are central to the field of toxinology.

During bacterial infections of host organisms, protein toxins are among the most important virulence factors used by the bacteria to invade, survive, and expand in a rich nutritive, but also hostile, environment. These toxins may contain all the components necessary to achieve their deleterious effects or can be effector proteins injected into host cells through diverse and complex secretion systems acting as transmembrane injectors. Microorganisms also fight each other with toxins to secure their existence in their ecological niche and protect themselves from their own toxins with natural inhibitors called antitoxins. Plants produce protein toxins that resemble bacterial toxins in their architecture and mechanisms of action. These toxins may play a role of defense against infection or predation. They are also the cause of accidental, voluntary or criminal poisoning.

There is an extraordinary diversity of bacterial and plant toxins. Likewise, there is a high diversity of toxin substrates and mechanisms leading to cellular perturbations. The actions of these toxins may include the perforation of membranes, the manipulation of the cytoskeleton and/or of signaling pathways, the diversion of protein trafficking, the impairment of neuromediator secretion, the inhibition of protein synthesis, the deregulation of transcription, the damaging of DNA, and many other effects. As a result, toxins may paralyze or kill cells, open cellular barriers, manipulate the host’s immune defenses to favor bacterial invasion or persistence in tissues, or kill the infected organism as a whole.

After less than a century of relative relief from mortal bacterial infections thanks to antibiotics, the development of bacterial strains resistant to multiple antibiotics has induced a re-emergence of infectious diseases. Infections become untreatable, inducing 700,000 deaths per year worldwide. Vaccines against toxins have helped to reduce dramatically the prevalence of a series of fatal bacterial diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus or whooping cough. However, lack of, or breaches in vaccination coverage result in the resurgence of these mortal diseases. In addition, some less frequent toxin infections never benefited from efficient treatment or vaccines. In the past, highly pathogenic bacterial and plant toxins as well as toxin-producing bacteria have been weaponized and used in warfare. They are now involved in terrorist threats and criminal or suicidal actions. Thus, altogether, there is an urgent need for countermeasures to neutralize and treat intoxications and infections involving bacterial and plant toxins.

This Special Issue proposes to highlight, through reviews, research articles, and communications, as well as opinion statements, novel concepts and molecular developments to inhibit the effects of bacterial and plant toxins and understand their mechanisms of action. Inhibitors and countermeasures are taken here in their broader meaning. They can be natural or synthetic small molecule inhibitors acting on toxins or on pathways exploited by toxins; they can be peptides, proteins, or of another chemical nature; they enclose monoclonal, polyclonal or engineered antibodies, vaccines, or other means to counteract the action of toxins. Contributions may address fundamental aspects, drug discovery and development, clinical evaluation or any other domains of toxinology.

Dr. Daniel Gillet
Dr. Julien Barbier
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• Toxin Inhibitors;
• Toxin countermeasures;
• Bacterial infections;
• Bacterial Toxin;
• Plant toxins.