Cell-to-cell signaling and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium responsible for severe nosocomial infections, life-threatening infections in immunocompromised persons, and chronic infections in cystic fibrosis patients. The bacterium's virulence depends on a large number of cell-associated and extracellular factors. Cell-to-cell signaling systems control the expression and allow a coordinated, cell-density-dependent production of many extracellular virulence factors. We discuss the possible role of cell-to-cell signaling in the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa infections and present a rationale for targeting cell-to-cell signaling systems in the development of new therapeutic approaches.
Van Delden
C
C
University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, New York, USA.
Iglewski
B H
BH
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014774:Virulence