Bacteria Respond to Host Cell Lysophospholipids

Abstract

Evaluation of: Subramanian N, Qadri A.: Lysophospholipid sensing triggers secretion of flagellin from pathogenic Salmonella. Nat. Immunol. 7(6), 583–589 (2006). The ability of host cells to detect pathogen-specific molecules has now become readily appreciated. Toll-like receptors can detect conserved structures on pathogens and once recognized can trigger an innate immune response. In this report, Subramanian and Qadri present evidence that the host does not simply respond to the presence of bacteria or bacterial factors, but can also trick pathogens into revealing themselves by inducing the secretion of one of these pathogen-associated molecules.

Keywords: :

• flagellin
• innate immunity
• interleukin-8
• lysophospholipid
• Salmonella