inflammation
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyIdentification of Pneumococcal Factors Affecting Pneumococcal Shedding Shows that the dlt Locus Promotes Inflammation and TransmissionStreptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a common cause of respiratory tract and invasive infection. The overall effectiveness of immunization with the organism’s capsular polysaccharide depends on its ability to block colonization of the upper respiratory tract and thereby prevent host-to-host transmission. Because of the limited coverage of current...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyChlamydia trachomatis Lipopolysaccharide Evades the Canonical and Noncanonical Inflammatory Pathways To Subvert Innate ImmunityChlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial cause of sexually transmitted infections (STI). C. trachomatis STI are commonly asymptomatic, implying a pathogenic strategy for the evasion of innate inflammatory immune responses, a paradox as the C. trachomatis outer membrane contains lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a known potent agonist of...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyNonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Alter the Microbiota and Exacerbate Clostridium difficile Colitis while Dysregulating the Inflammatory ResponseClostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a spore-forming anaerobic bacterium and leading cause of antibiotic-associated colitis. Epidemiological data suggest that use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk for CDI in humans, a potentially important observation given the widespread use of NSAIDs. Prior studies in rodent models of CDI found...
- Research ArticleInduction of HIF-1α by HIV-1 Infection in CD4+ T Cells Promotes Viral Replication and Drives Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Inflammation
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a very important global pathogen that preferentially targets CD4+ T cells and causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) if left untreated. Although antiretroviral treatment efficiently suppresses viremia, markers of immune activation and inflammation remain higher in HIV-1-infected patients than in uninfected individuals. The hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is a...
- Research ArticleAntibody against Microbial Neuraminidases Recognizes Human Sialidase 3 (NEU3): the Neuraminidase/Sialidase Superfamily Revisited
We previously reported that sialidase activity of human neutrophils plays a critical role in the host inflammatory response. Since the catalytic domains of microbial neuraminidases are highly conserved, we hypothesized that antibodies against Clostridium perfringens neuraminidase might inhibit mammalian sialidase activity. Before the recognition of four mammalian sialidase (Neu) isoforms, we demonstrated that anti-...