Bacillus cereus enterotoxins change epithelial barrier function and ion transport in a Caco-2/HT29-MTX co-culture model, provoking inflammation, apoptosis and membrane damage.

Bacillus cereus enterotoxins induce barrier dysfunction, inflammation, and apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells, with Nhe+Hbl causing significant ion transport alterations and cell death.

• Why it matters: Understanding how B. cereus toxins affect human intestinal epithelium is crucial for addressing diarrheal disease mechanisms and developing targeted treatments, as these responses are not fully characterized.
• What they did: The study used a co-culture model of Caco-2 and HT29-MTX cells to examine toxin effects, analyzing cell viability, barrier integrity, ion transport, and transcriptomic changes across different toxin doses and exposure times.
• The result: Findings reveal that enterotoxins compromise epithelial barriers, alter ion transport, and trigger inflammatory and apoptotic pathways, providing insights into the molecular basis of B. cereus-induced diarrhea.