PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Hurtley, Stella M. TI - Here to Stay AID - 10.1126/scisignal.3138ec276 DP - 2010 Sep 07 TA - Science Signaling PG - ec276--ec276 VI - 3 IP - 138 4099 - http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/3/138/ec276.short 4100 - http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/3/138/ec276.full SO - Sci. Signal.2010 Sep 07; 3 AB - For systemic infection, bacterial pathogens must breach the mucosal epithelial barrier. Our bodies have developed a variety of strategies to protect the mucosa, including rapid turnover of epithelial cells. Muenzner et al. show how invasive bacteria overcome this host defense in a humanized mouse model susceptible to Neisseria gonorrhoeae urogenital infection. The bacteria bind to a host-cell surface protein called carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), which triggers a cascade of changes modulating the cell adhesion properties of the targeted epithelium to prevent the cells from being shed. P. Muenzner, V. Bachmann, W. Zimmermann, J. Hentschel, C. R. Hauck, Human-restricted bacterial pathogens block shedding of epithelial cells by stimulating integrin activation. Science 329, 1197–1201 (2010). [Abstract] [Full Text]