Advances in adhesion-related pathogenesis in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and upper respiratory tract infections, particularly in children and immunocompromised individuals. The growing global prevalence of macrolide-resistant M. pneumoniae (MRMP) further emphasizes the urgent need to elucidate...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bingyue Sun, Yaozheng Ling, Junhui Li, Li Ma, Zige Jie, Hongbing Luo, Yang Li, Guo Yin, Mingwei Wang, Fanzheng Meng, Man Gao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1613760/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849303646289788928
author Bingyue Sun
Yaozheng Ling
Junhui Li
Li Ma
Zige Jie
Hongbing Luo
Yang Li
Guo Yin
Mingwei Wang
Fanzheng Meng
Fanzheng Meng
Man Gao
Man Gao
author_facet Bingyue Sun
Yaozheng Ling
Junhui Li
Li Ma
Zige Jie
Hongbing Luo
Yang Li
Guo Yin
Mingwei Wang
Fanzheng Meng
Fanzheng Meng
Man Gao
Man Gao
author_sort Bingyue Sun
collection DOAJ
description Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and upper respiratory tract infections, particularly in children and immunocompromised individuals. The growing global prevalence of macrolide-resistant M. pneumoniae (MRMP) further emphasizes the urgent need to elucidate its pathogenic mechanisms. Among these, adhesion plays a central role, serving as a prerequisite for colonization and disease progression, and thus warrants detailed investigation. The terminal organelle of M. pneumoniae mediates both adhesion and gliding motility, facilitating colonization, tissue invasion, and potential systemic spread. In the lung, adhesion triggers cytotoxic effects through the release of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and CARDS toxin (CARDS TX), promotes excessive inflammatory responses, and enables immune evasion via antigenic variation. Extrapulmonary manifestations may also arise either from direct bacterial dissemination or autoimmune responses induced by molecular mimicry between bacterial and host antigens. In addition, recent advances suggest that therapies and vaccines directed at the adhesion mechanism of M. pneumoniae may offer promising strategies for combating MRMP infections. Although progress has been made, the adhesion-related pathogenesis of M. pneumoniae, as well as the prospects for therapies and vaccines targeting this mechanism, remains incompletely defined. This review synthesizes current insights into adhesion-mediated mechanisms and highlights emerging therapeutic strategies targeting adhesion, aiming to support more effective treatment and prevention of M. pneumoniae infection.
format Article
id doaj-art-97c9e613ca2f4740a3797087d5d1a56c
institution Kabale University
issn 1664-302X
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Microbiology
spelling doaj-art-97c9e613ca2f4740a3797087d5d1a56c2025-08-20T03:55:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-07-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.16137601613760Advances in adhesion-related pathogenesis in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infectionBingyue Sun0Yaozheng Ling1Junhui Li2Li Ma3Zige Jie4Hongbing Luo5Yang Li6Guo Yin7Mingwei Wang8Fanzheng Meng9Fanzheng Meng10Man Gao11Man Gao12Department of Pediatric Respiration, Children’s Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Pediatric Respiration, Children’s Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Pediatric Respiration, Children’s Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Pediatric Respiration, Children’s Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Pediatric Respiration, Children’s Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Pediatric Respiration, Children’s Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaThe First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaNHC Key Laboratory of Radiobiology, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Pediatric Respiration, Children’s Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaCenter for Pathogen Biology and Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaDepartment of Pediatric Respiration, Children’s Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaCenter for Pathogen Biology and Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaMycoplasma pneumoniae is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and upper respiratory tract infections, particularly in children and immunocompromised individuals. The growing global prevalence of macrolide-resistant M. pneumoniae (MRMP) further emphasizes the urgent need to elucidate its pathogenic mechanisms. Among these, adhesion plays a central role, serving as a prerequisite for colonization and disease progression, and thus warrants detailed investigation. The terminal organelle of M. pneumoniae mediates both adhesion and gliding motility, facilitating colonization, tissue invasion, and potential systemic spread. In the lung, adhesion triggers cytotoxic effects through the release of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and CARDS toxin (CARDS TX), promotes excessive inflammatory responses, and enables immune evasion via antigenic variation. Extrapulmonary manifestations may also arise either from direct bacterial dissemination or autoimmune responses induced by molecular mimicry between bacterial and host antigens. In addition, recent advances suggest that therapies and vaccines directed at the adhesion mechanism of M. pneumoniae may offer promising strategies for combating MRMP infections. Although progress has been made, the adhesion-related pathogenesis of M. pneumoniae, as well as the prospects for therapies and vaccines targeting this mechanism, remains incompletely defined. This review synthesizes current insights into adhesion-mediated mechanisms and highlights emerging therapeutic strategies targeting adhesion, aiming to support more effective treatment and prevention of M. pneumoniae infection.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1613760/fullM. pneumoniaterminal organelleadhesiontreatmentvaccines
spellingShingle Bingyue Sun
Yaozheng Ling
Junhui Li
Li Ma
Zige Jie
Hongbing Luo
Yang Li
Guo Yin
Mingwei Wang
Fanzheng Meng
Fanzheng Meng
Man Gao
Man Gao
Advances in adhesion-related pathogenesis in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
Frontiers in Microbiology
M. pneumonia
terminal organelle
adhesion
treatment
vaccines
title Advances in adhesion-related pathogenesis in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
title_full Advances in adhesion-related pathogenesis in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
title_fullStr Advances in adhesion-related pathogenesis in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
title_full_unstemmed Advances in adhesion-related pathogenesis in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
title_short Advances in adhesion-related pathogenesis in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
title_sort advances in adhesion related pathogenesis in mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
topic M. pneumonia
terminal organelle
adhesion
treatment
vaccines
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1613760/full
work_keys_str_mv AT bingyuesun advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT yaozhengling advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT junhuili advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT lima advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT zigejie advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT hongbingluo advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT yangli advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT guoyin advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT mingweiwang advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT fanzhengmeng advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT fanzhengmeng advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT mangao advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection
AT mangao advancesinadhesionrelatedpathogenesisinmycoplasmapneumoniaeinfection