title: Inflammasomes in Pneumococcal Infection: Innate Immune Sensing and Bacterial Evasion Strategies.
abstract: Streptococcus pneumoniae frequently colonizes the upper respiratory tract of healthy individuals, but also commonly causes severe invasive infections such as community-acquired pneumonia and meningitis. One of the key virulence factors of pneumococci is the pore-forming toxin pneumolysin which stimulates cell death and is involved in the evasion of some defense mechanisms. The immune system, however, employs different inflammasomes to sense pneumolysin-induced pore formation, cellular membrane damage, and/or subsequent leakage of bacterial nucleic acid into the host cell cytosol. Canonical inflammasomes are cytosolic multiprotein complexes consisting of a receptor molecule such as NLRP3 or AIM2, the adapter ASC, and caspase-1. NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasomes mediate cell death and production of important IL-1 family cytokines to recruit leukocytes and defend against S. pneumoniae. Here, we review recent evidence that highlights inflammasomes as critical sensors of S. pneumoniae-induced cellular perturbations, summarize their role in pneumococcal infections, and discuss potential evasion strategies of some emerging pneumococcal strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases and Pulmonary Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rabes
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases and Pulmonary Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suttorp
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases and Pulmonary Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany. bastian.opitz@charite.de.
authors.forename: Bastian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Opitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D058847:Inflammasomes
keywords: Inflammasome; Innate immunity; Pneumonia; Streptococcus pneumoniae