Inflammasome activation: how macrophages watch what they eat

Cell Host Microbe. 2010 Jan 21;7(1):3-5. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2009.12.011.

Abstract

Underhill and colleagues (Shimada et al., 2010) provide evidence for an intriguing link between the activity of lysozyme in the phagosome and activation of the Nlrp3 inflammasome, a cytosolic regulator of inflammation and cytokine production. The authors show that resistance to lysozyme allows Staphylococcus aureus to evade Nlrp3 activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cytokines / metabolism*
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / microbiology*
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Muramidase / metabolism*
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Phagosomes / enzymology*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / immunology*

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytokines
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Nlrp3 protein, mouse
  • Muramidase