Editor's Summary
18 October 2007
Helicobacter targets integrin
Integrins, an important family of cell adhesion receptors involved in a variety of signalling processes, are targeted by a number of bacterial and viral pathogens for adhesion or invasion. An integrin has now been identified as the receptor for the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori. The pathogen's CagL pilus protein docks onto the host cell surface receptor integrin 
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1; this triggers the injection of the oncoprotein CagA (cytotoxin-associated gene A) into the host cells. This work points to CagL as a possible drug target for treating gastric diseases caused by some H. pylori strains.
News and Views: Microbiology: Preparing the shot
Direct injection of proteins into host cells is one of the tricks bacteria use during infection. It seems that, to achieve this, the stomach pathogen Helicobacter pylori first grabs the cell by its surface receptors.
Christof R. Hauck
doi:10.1038/449798a
Article: Helicobacter exploits integrin for type IV secretion and kinase activation
Terry Kwok, Dana Zabler, Sylwia Urman, Manfred Rohde, Roland Hartig, Silja Wessler, Rolf Misselwitz, Jürgen Berger, Norbert Sewald, Wolfgang König & Steffen Backert
doi:10.1038/nature06187
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (3,362K) | Supplementary information
