title: Modulating immunity as a therapy for bacterial infections.
abstract: Despite our efforts to halt the increase and spread of antimicrobial resistance, bacteria continue to become less susceptible to antimicrobial drugs over time, and rates of discovery for new antibiotics are declining. Thus, it is essential to explore new paradigms for anti-infective therapy. One promising approach involves host-directed immunomodulatory therapies, whereby natural mechanisms in the host are exploited to enhance therapeutic benefit. The objective is to initiate or enhance protective antimicrobial immunity while limiting inflammation-induced tissue injury. A range of potential immune modulators have been proposed, including innate defence regulator peptides and agonists of innate immune components such as Toll-like receptors and NOD-like receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Room 232, 2259 Lower Mall Research Station, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4 British Columbia, Canada. bob@hancocklab.com
authors.forename: Robert E W
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nijnik
authors.forename: Dana J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Philpott
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D056747:Immunomodulation; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D053472:Nod Signaling Adaptor Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D053472:Nod Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors