title: Quorum sensing: dynamic response of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to external signals.
abstract: A recent study suggests that the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa can actively monitor the host immune system. The P. aeruginosa outer membrane protein OprF was found to bind specifically to the cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and this interaction upregulated production of virulence factors through a cell-cell communication system known as quorum sensing (QS). Taken together with previous findings that P. aeruginosa QS can alter the host immune response (e.g. by activation of IFN-gamma), these data illustrate an exciting new element of bacteria-host interactions in which the P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing system both senses and modulates the host immune state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
authors.forename: Victoria E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Frelinger
authors.forename: Richard K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: Barbara H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Iglewski
mesh_terms: D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D018272:Porins / Q000502:physiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018085:Regulon; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018272:Porins; D037521:Virulence Factors; D007371:Interferon-gamma