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Review
. 2021 Sep;158(6):1244-1253.
doi: 10.1111/jnc.15330. Epub 2021 Mar 14.

Tetanus and tetanus neurotoxin: From peripheral uptake to central nervous tissue targets

Aram Megighian  1   2 , Marco Pirazzini  1 , Federico Fabris  1 , Ornella Rossetto  1   3 , Cesare Montecucco  1   3
Affiliations
Review

Tetanus and tetanus neurotoxin: From peripheral uptake to central nervous tissue targets

Aram Megighian et al. J Neurochem. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

Tetanus is a deadly but preventable disease caused by a protein neurotoxin produced by Clostridium tetani. Spores of C. tetani may contaminate a necrotic wound and germinate into a vegetative bacterium that releases a toxin, termed tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT). TeNT enters the general circulation, binds to peripheral motor neurons and sensory neurons, and is transported retroaxonally to the spinal cord. It then enters inhibitory interneurons and blocks the release of glycine or GABA causing a spastic paralysis. This review attempts to correlate the metalloprotease activity of TeNT and its trafficking and localization into the vertebrate body to the nature and sequence of appearance of the symptoms of tetanus.

Keywords: inhibitory interneurons; metalloprotease; retroaxonal transport; tetanus; tetanus neurotoxin.

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References

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