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Lu KY, Tung WE, Chiang CJ, Hsieh YY, Chen CH, Lee MH, Yen MH, Lu PW, Wu LC. Sciatica caused by spinal epidural abscess as the initial clinical presentation of colon cancer: a rare case report and review of literature. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:293. [PMID: 38448866 PMCID: PMC10916147 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09159-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed forms of cancer, and it is associated with several common symptoms and signs such as rectal bleeding, altered bowel habits, abdominal pain, anemia, and unintentional weight loss. Sciatica, a debilitating condition in which the patient experiences paresthesia and pain in the dermatome of associated lumbosacral nerve roots or sciatic nerve distribution, is not considered one of these. Here we present a case of colorectal cancer manifesting symptoms of sciatica alone. CASE PRESENTATION A 68-year-old male presented with progressive lower back pain radiating to his left thigh and calf over L5/S1 dermatome. Sciatica was suspected and initially underwent conservative treatment with analgesics. However, the symptoms progressed and MRI revealed an epidural abscess surprisingly. Surgical debridement was performed and pus culture isolated Streptococcus gallolyticus. Based on the strong association of S. gallolyticus with colorectal cancer, the presence of this pathogen prompted further tumor evaluation, even in the absence of the typical symptoms and signs. This investigation ultimately leads to the diagnosis of sigmoid adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS Although rare, sciatica caused by S. gallolyticus infection of the spinal epidural space may serve as the initial presentation of colorectal cancer. Physicians should be aware of the strong association between S. gallolyticus and colorectal cancer. Based on what we currently know about the condition; a thorough systematic assessment of occult neoplasia for patients with S. gallolyticus infection is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan-Yu Lu
- Department of Orthopedics, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
| | - Wei-En Tung
- Department of Orthopedics, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Jung Chiang
- Department of Orthopedics, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, 110, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Ying Hsieh
- Department of Orthopedics, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, 110, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsien Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
- School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Hui Lee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
| | - Min-Hsuan Yen
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
| | - Po-Wen Lu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, 110, Taiwan
| | - Lien-Chen Wu
- Department of Orthopedics, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 23561, Taiwan.
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, 110, Taiwan.
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, 110, Taiwan.
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Garrett SR, Palmer T. The role of proteinaceous toxins secreted by Staphylococcus aureus in interbacterial competition. FEMS Microbes 2024; 5:xtae006. [PMID: 38495077 PMCID: PMC10941976 DOI: 10.1093/femsmc/xtae006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is highly adapted to colonization of the mammalian host. In humans the primary site of colonization is the epithelium of the nasal cavity. A major barrier to colonization is the resident microbiota, which have mechanisms to exclude S. aureus. As such, S. aureus has evolved mechanisms to compete with other bacteria, one of which is through secretion of proteinaceous toxins. S. aureus strains collectively produce a number of well-characterized Class I, II, and IV bacteriocins as well as several bacteriocin-like substances, about which less is known. These bacteriocins have potent antibacterial activity against several Gram-positive organisms, with some also active against Gram-negative species. S. aureus bacteriocins characterized to date are sporadically produced, and often encoded on plasmids. More recently the type VII secretion system (T7SS) of S. aureus has also been shown to play a role in interbacterial competition. The T7SS is encoded by all S. aureus isolates and so may represent a more widespread mechanism of competition used by this species. T7SS antagonism is mediated by the secretion of large protein toxins, three of which have been characterized to date: a nuclease toxin, EsaD; a membrane depolarizing toxin, TspA; and a phospholipase toxin, TslA. Further study is required to decipher the role that these different types of secreted toxins play in interbacterial competition and colonization of the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R Garrett
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
| | - Tracy Palmer
- Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
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Klein TA, Shah PY, Gkragkopoulou P, Grebenc DW, Kim Y, Whitney JC. Structure of a tripartite protein complex that targets toxins to the type VII secretion system. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2312455121. [PMID: 38194450 PMCID: PMC10801868 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312455121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Type VII secretion systems are membrane-embedded nanomachines used by Gram-positive bacteria to export effector proteins from the cytoplasm to the extracellular environment. Many of these effectors are polymorphic toxins comprised of an N-terminal Leu-x-Gly (LXG) domain of unknown function and a C-terminal toxin domain that inhibits the growth of bacterial competitors. In recent work, it was shown that LXG effectors require two cognate Lap proteins for T7SS-dependent export. Here, we present the 2.6 Å structure of the LXG domain of the TelA toxin from the opportunistic pathogen Streptococcus intermedius in complex with both of its cognate Lap targeting factors. The structure reveals an elongated α-helical bundle within which each Lap protein makes extensive hydrophobic contacts with either end of the LXG domain. Remarkably, despite low overall sequence identity, we identify striking structural similarity between our LXG complex and PE-PPE heterodimers exported by the distantly related ESX type VII secretion systems of Mycobacteria implying a conserved mechanism of effector export among diverse Gram-positive bacteria. Overall, our findings demonstrate that LXG domains, in conjunction with their cognate Lap targeting factors, represent a tripartite secretion signal for a widespread family of T7SS toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A. Klein
- Michael DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Prakhar Y. Shah
- Michael DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Polyniki Gkragkopoulou
- Michael DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Dirk W. Grebenc
- Michael DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Youngchang Kim
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL60439
| | - John C. Whitney
- Michael DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
- David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
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Boardman ER, Palmer T, Alcock F. Interbacterial competition mediated by the type VIIb secretion system. Microbiology (Reading) 2023; 169:001420. [PMID: 38116759 PMCID: PMC10765036 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Successful occupancy of a given niche requires the colonising bacteria to interact extensively with the biotic and abiotic environment, including other resident microbes. Bacteria have evolved a range of protein secretion machines for this purpose with eleven such systems identified to date. The type VIIb secretion system (T7SSb) is utilised by Bacillota to secrete a range of protein substrates, including antibacterial toxins targeting closely related strains, and the system as a whole has been implicated in a range of activities such as iron acquisition, intercellular signalling, host colonisation and virulence. This review covers the components and secretion mechanism of the T7SSb, the substrates of these systems and their roles in Gram-positive bacteria, with a focus on interbacterial competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor R. Boardman
- Microbes in Health and Disease Theme, Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Tracy Palmer
- Microbes in Health and Disease Theme, Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Felicity Alcock
- Microbes in Health and Disease Theme, Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
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