Secrets and lies of host-microbial interactions: MHC restriction and trans-regulation of T cell trafficking conceal the role of microbial agents on the edge between health and multifactorial/complex diseases.
Cell Mol Life Sci
; 81(1): 40, 2024 Jan 13.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38216734
ABSTRACT
Here we critically discuss data supporting the view that microbial agents (pathogens, pathobionts or commensals alike) play a relevant role in the pathogenesis of multifactorial diseases, but their role is concealed by the rules presiding over T cell antigen recognition and trafficking. These rules make it difficult to associate univocally infectious agents to diseases' pathogenesis using the paradigm developed for canonical infectious diseases. (Cross-)recognition of a variable repertoire of epitopes leads to the possibility that distinct infectious agents can determine the same disease(s). There can be the need for sequential infection/colonization by two or more microorganisms to develop a given disease. Altered spreading of infectious agents can determine an unwanted activation of T cells towards a pro-inflammatory and trafficking phenotype, due to differences in the local microenvironment. Finally, trans-regulation of T cell trafficking allows infectious agents unrelated to the specificity of T cell to modify their homing to target organs, thereby driving flares of disease. The relevant role of microbial agents in largely prevalent diseases provides a conceptual basis for the evaluation of more specific therapeutic approaches, targeted to prevent (vaccine) or cure (antibiotics and/or Biologic Response Modifiers) multifactorial diseases.
Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
T-Lymphocytes
/
Host-Pathogen Interactions
/
Host Microbial Interactions
Language:
En
Journal:
Cell Mol Life Sci
Journal subject:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
Year:
2024
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy