title: Preventing the binding of pathogens to the host by controlling sphingolipid metabolism.
abstract: The binding of many pathogens and toxins to human cells can be inhibited by (1) depleting host cells of their surface glycosphingolipids; (2) coating the binding sites on pathogens (adhesins) with glycosphingolipid-like substances (decoys); (3) coating the host's glycosphingolipids with substances that compete with the pathogen for binding. Details of using these methods are described.
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. gluconorm@aol.com
authors.forename: Norman S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Radin
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D014780:Viruses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D013107:Sphingolipids