Attenuation of <i>Clostridium difficile</i> toxin‐induced damage to epithelial barrier by ecto‐5′‐nucleotidase (<scp>CD</scp>73) and adenosine receptor signaling

Abstract

Our data suggest that CD73 has a protective role against TcdA/B-induced damage. 5'-AMP treatment attenuated the damaging effects of Cdf toxin in vitro, and inhibitors of CD73 (APCP) and AdoRs (ZM241385) revealed that the cleavage of 5'-AMP to Ado was necessary for the protective effects. Inhibition of CD73 in vivo increases colonic tissue damage and epithelial permeability during Cdf toxin exposure.