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A Comparative Approach to Characterize the Landscape of Host-Pathogen Protein-Protein Interactions

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Published on: July 18, 2013

Concepts and mechanisms: crossing host barriers.

Kelly S Doran¹, Anirban Banerjee, Olivier Disson

¹Department of Biology and Center for Microbial Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, USA. kdoran@mail.sdsu.edu

Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine

|July 3, 2013

Summary

Pathogens invade the human body by breaching cellular barriers like the skin, mucosa, placenta, and blood-brain barrier. This review details microbial strategies for adhering to, invading, and compromising these critical host defenses.

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Immunology
Cell Biology

Background:

The human body possesses physical and immunological barriers, including skin, mucosa, placental, and blood-brain barriers, protecting internal systems from the external environment.
These barriers are crucial for defense against microbial infections.
Pathogens have developed sophisticated mechanisms to overcome these protective layers, leading to invasion and disease.

Purpose of the Study:

To review microbial interactions with key human cellular barriers.
To discuss the mechanisms pathogens use to adhere to, invade, breach, and compromise these barriers.
To highlight the significance of barrier integrity in host defense.

Main Methods:

Review of scientific literature on microbial pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions.
Analysis of representative examples of microbial invasion of intestinal, placental, and blood-brain barriers.
Discussion of evolutionary strategies employed by pathogens.

Main Results:

Pathogens exhibit diverse strategies to target and penetrate host barriers.
Microbial invasion can lead to disruption of barrier integrity and systemic spread.
Examples include interactions with intestinal, placental, and blood-brain barriers.

Conclusions:

Understanding microbial strategies for breaching host barriers is essential for developing effective countermeasures.
Host barriers represent a critical interface for pathogen entry and dissemination.
Further research into these interactions can inform therapeutic and preventative approaches.