title: Caspase-1 activation by Salmonella.
abstract: Salmonella is an interesting example of how the selective pressure of host environments has led to the evolution of sophisticated bacterial virulence mechanisms. This microbe exploits the first-line of defence, the macrophage, as a crucial tool in the initiation of disease. After invasion of intestinal macrophages, a virulence protein secreted by Salmonella specifically induces apoptotic cell death by activating the cysteine protease caspase-1. The pro-apoptotic capability is necessary for successful pathogenesis. The study of mechanisms by which Salmonella induces programmed cell death offers new insights into how pathogens cause disease and into general mechanisms of activation of the innate immune system.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Department of Cellular Microbiology, Campus Charité Mitte, Schumannstrasse 21/22, Berlin 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Harri A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Järveläinen
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galmiche
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zychlinsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D012475:Salmonella / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors; D020170:Caspase 1