Factors of pathogenicity of bacteria of the genus Campylobacter and their role in carcinogenesis

Soboleva O.M., Kravchenko A.S., Zakharova Yu.V.

Kemerovo State Medical University, Kemerovo, Russia

Bacteria of the genus Campylobacter are a known common cause of gastroenteritis. However, in recent years, there has been more and more evidence in the scientific literature that these bacteria play an essential role in the development of malignant tumors of the human digestive tract.
The aim is to systemize data on pathogenicity/virulence factors of Campylobacter spp. and its role in human carcinogenesis.
The review provides a general description of the representatives of the genus in question, indicating their current taxonomic position and importance in human infectious pathology. A detailed description of known pathogenicity/virulence factors, including those with species-specific and strain-specific affiliation, is given. The indirect role of Campylobacter spp. in the mechanism of carcinogenesis has been shown due to the effect on individual links of the immune defense of the human body (e.g., on a pool of proinflammatory cytokines), which supports a chronic focus of inflammation and provokes further malignant cell degeneration. The direct effect of cytolethal expanding toxin (CDT) of Campylobacter as an essential link in carcinogenesis is considered. The facts of tumor-associated interaction of Campylobacter spp. with other bacteria of the human digestive tract are presented.
Conclusion. The available data indicate a significant contribution of individual factors of Campylobacter spp. pathogenicity to the mechanisms of malignant neoplastic transformation of human digestive tract cells. CDT plays an essential role among other pathogenesis links.