HSPG2 and infection: Since infection of Caco-2 cells with C. perfringens type C strains, which cause enteric disease, was shown to induce upregulation of expression of several toxin genes, including plc and pfoA [14], the current study used differentiated C2C12 mouse muscle cells to test whether a similar effect also occurs in a gas gangrene-relevant environment, i.e. incubation of a type A strain in the presence of differentiated C2C12 muscle cell line.