Apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells restricts Clostridium difficile infection in a model of pseudomembranous colitis

Abstract

The enterotoxins TcdA and TcdB induce cytotoxicity of epithelial cells during Clostridium difficile infection. Here the authors show that bacterial induced epithelial cell death occurs via activation of caspases 3 and 7, resulting in apoptotic cell death.