Modulation of the immune response by the Pseudomonas aeruginosa type-III secretion system.

ABSTRACT

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause critical cellular damage and subvert the immune response to promote its survival. Among the numerous virulence factors of P. aeruginosa, the type III secretion system (T3SS) is involved in host cell pathogenicity. Using a needle-like structure, T3SS detects eukaryotic cells and injects toxins directly into their cytosol, thus highlighting its ability to interfere with the host immune response. In this mini-review, we discuss how the T3SS and bacterial effectors secreted by this pathway not only activate the immune response but can also manipulate it to promote the establishment of P. aeruginosa infections.