Acetylated mitochondrial MDH2 regulates CTR2 transcription to induce cuproptosis during Escherichia coli infection

Nature Communications, Published online: 21 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73280-0 The study shows that E. coli infection disrupts copper balance by inducing CTR2 through acetylated mitochondrial MDH2, triggering cuproptosis and liver injury, and suggests that targeting this pathway may help limit infection-associated damage.