Disruption of immune regulation by microbial pathogens and resulting chronic inflammation

Abstract

Activation of the immune response is a tightly regulated, coordinated effort that functions to control and eradicate exogenous microorganisms, while also responding to endogenous ligands. Determining the proper balance of inflammation is essential, as chronic inflammation leads to a wide array of host pathologies. Bacterial pathogens can instigate chronic inflammation via an extensive repertoire of evolved evasion strategies that perturb immune regulation. In this review, we discuss two model pathogens, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Porphyromonas gingivalis, which efficiently escape various aspects of the immune system within professional and non-professional immune cell types to establish chronic inflammation.