However, it has been shown that P. aeruginosa infection of incompletely polarized corneal epithelial cells that leads to EGFR activation through shedding of the HB-EGF ectodomain, followed by activation of ERK1/2 and PI3K pathways, results in inhibition of apoptosis in the early stage of bacterial infection [45]. This evidence concerns the gene GSTM1 and bacterial infectious disease.