TITLE:
Bacterial UDP-Glucose Hydrolases and P2 Receptor-Mediated Responses to Infection: A Commentary
AUTHORS:
Ifor R. Beacham, John P. Headrick
KEYWORDS:
UDP-Glucose Hydrolase; P2Y14 Receptor; Virulence Factor; Salmonella enterica; E. coli
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Infectious Diseases,
Vol.3 No.2,
June
5,
2013
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.