title: The danger model: questioning an unconvincing theory.
abstract: Janeway's pattern recognition theory holds that the immune system detects infection through a limited number of the so-called pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). These receptors bind specific chemical compounds expressed by entire groups of related pathogens, but not by host cells (pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). In contrast, Matzinger's danger hypothesis postulates that products released from stressed or damaged cells have a more important role in the activation of immune system than the recognition of nonself. These products, named by analogy to PAMPs as danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), are proposed to act through the same receptors (PRRs) as PAMPs and, consequently, to stimulate largely similar responses. Herein, I review direct and indirect evidence that contradict the widely accepted danger theory, and suggest that it may be false.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Szczepan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Józefowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D007109:Immunity; D018448:Models, Immunological; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition