Figure 3.

Oncogenic properties of Bacteroides (B.) fragilis. Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) encodes the BFT toxin. BFT can penetrate the enterocyte. BFT can activate STAT3, resulting in Th17 cell response and inflammatory changes. It also activates E-cadherin, provoking the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which leads to cellular proliferation and NF-κB, resulting in production of proinflammatory cytokines BFT, Bacteroides fragilis toxin; STAT3, Signal transduce and activator of transcription 3