Figure 7. Intestinal epithelial cell signaling pathways altered by LT.
Elevated [cAMP] induced by LT deregulation of adenylate cyclase leads to PKA activation. Activated PKA results in CREB phosphorylation and the activation of the ERK1/2, p38, and JNK MAPKs. LT also activates NF-κB via a cAMP-dependent, but PKA-independent mechanism mediated by Rap1. Activating the p38 MAPK promotes ETEC adherence to intestinal epithelial cells through an unknown mechanism.