Bacterial UDP-Glucose Hydrolases and P2 Receptor-Mediated Responses to Infection: A Commentary ()
ABSTRACT
UDP-glucose hydrolases are a group of relatively little known
membrane-bound or periplasmic enzymes found in Salmonella enterica and E.
coli. UDP-glucose is an agonist for a specific P2 receptor (P2Y14)
found on epithelial cells and cells associated with innate immunity. It is also
recognised as a ‘danger signal’. Cells respond to mechanical damage by
releasing UDP-glucose which activates P2Y14 to trigger an innate
immune response; it is postulated that a similar response to bacterial
infection may be protective against infection. However, the UDP-glucose
hydrolases may constitute virulence factors able to abrogate this response by
degradation of the released UDP-glucose.
Share and Cite:
I. Beacham and J. Headrick, "Bacterial UDP-Glucose Hydrolases and P2 Receptor-Mediated Responses to Infection: A Commentary,"
Advances in Infectious Diseases, Vol. 3 No. 2, 2013, pp. 100-104. doi:
10.4236/aid.2013.32016.