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Researchers have uncovered the biological mechanism behind a long-standing mystery involving a bacterial toxin linked to colorectal cancer. Their study found that the toxin begins its attack by attaching to claudin-4, a receptor on the surface of colon cells, which allows it to penetrate and damage the protective barrier lining the intestine. Once this barrier is weakened, the colon may become more vulnerable to inflammation, cellular injury, and conditions that can promote tumor development. Using this new understanding, the scientists created a decoy protein that attracts and neutralizes the toxin before it can reach its natural target. The treatment successfully blocked the toxin’s harmful effects in mice, suggesting that the discovery could eventually lead to new therapies aimed at reducing intestinal inflammation and preventing certain colorectal tumors.

Maxwell T. White, Kang Wang, Hailong Zhang, Ulrich Eckhard, Karthik Hullahalli, Jason Chen, Shaoguang Wu, Abby L. Geis, Jie Zhang, Jessica Queen, F. Xavier Gomis-Ruth, Matthew K. Waldor, Min Dong, Cynthia L. Sears. A pro-carcinogenic bacterial toxin binds claudin-4 to cleave E-cadherin. Nature, 2026; 654 (8118): 504 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10375-0

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