NOD1 and NOD2 in inflammatory and infectious diseases

It has been long recognized that NOD1 and NOD2 are critical players in the host immune response, primarily by their sensing bacterial peptidoglycan-conserved motifs. Significant advances have been made from efforts that characterize their upstream activators, assembly of signaling complexes, and activation of downstream signaling pathways. Disruption in NOD1 and NOD2 signaling has also been associated with impaired host defense and resistance to the development of inflammatory diseases. In this review, we will describe how NOD1 and NOD2 sense microbes and cellular stress to regulate host responses that can affect disease pathogenesis and outcomes.