Protein scouts for dangerous bacteria

The immune system's white blood cells, known as a macrophages, are among the first to detect and eliminate harmful bacteria and have been the focus of a research team at Northwestern University. Led by Christian Stehlik and John P. Gallagher, the team has discovered that the protein NLRP7 serves as a ‘scout’ in macrophage cells, identifying bacterial cell wall components in harmful bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. This finding contributes to a better understanding of how bacteria are recognized by the immune system. Listeria is found in uncooked meats, vegetables, and fruits such as cantaloupes. S. aureus infections are most commonly contracted in hospitals, and 500,000 patients acquire Staphylococcus infections annually in the US. Understanding how the immune system recognizes these deadly intruders could one day lead to novel treatment strategies to combat these infections.