Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026
05:02
Listeria monocytogenes Infection of the Brain
Published on: October 2, 2018
Listeria monocytogenes: no spreading without NO.
1Mikrobiologisches Institut - Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg und Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. christian.bogdan@uk-erlangen.de
Immunity
|May 29, 2012
Summary
Nitric oxide (NO) from inducible nitric oxide synthase typically fights pathogens. However, this study reveals NO actually aids the spread of intracellular bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-derived nitric oxide (NO) is traditionally viewed as crucial for antimicrobial defense and immune regulation in infectious diseases.
- The precise role of NO in the context of intracellular bacterial infections, particularly regarding pathogen dissemination, remains incompletely understood.
Discussion:
- This research challenges the conventional understanding of nitric oxide's function in infectious disease immunology.
- The findings indicate a novel, counterintuitive role for NO in facilitating the intracellular spread of Listeria monocytogenes.
Key Insights:
- Nitric oxide (NO) produced by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) promotes the cell-to-cell spread of the intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.
- This mechanism involves NO-mediated modulation of host cell processes essential for bacterial dissemination.
Outlook:
- Further investigation into NO's multifaceted roles in host-pathogen interactions is warranted.
- Understanding this novel mechanism could lead to new therapeutic strategies targeting bacterial spread in intracellular infections.
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