Claudin-4 Receptor Unmasks How Gut Bacteria Trigger Colorectal Cancer

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have shown that the Bacteroides fragilis toxin (BFT) must bind the host receptor claudin-4 to damage colon cells. Using a genome-wide CRISPR screen, the team identified claudin-4 as the critical link, confirmed the direct BFT-claudin-4 interaction biophysically, and demonstrated that a soluble claudin-4 decoy protected mice from toxin-induced colon injury, suggesting a possible preventive approach against toxin-driven colorectal cancer.