SalmonellaThe infection, which causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain, is the most common bacterial food poisoning in the United States, affecting more than 1 million people each year. Most healthy people recover without treatment, but Salmonella The infection can spread throughout the body and become life-threatening in young children, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems. New discoveries reveal how the human body is controlled Salmonella This opens the door to potential treatments for Salmonella and other foodborne infections.
A study from the Robert Lerner School of Medicine at the University of Vermont reveals details of the human-to-human competition for essential nutrients. Salmonella Bacteria and host during infection. New evidence discovered by lead researcher Dr. Lee Knoedler, professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, and his colleagues shows that specialized intestinal cells control intestinal function. Salmonella It grows by restricting access to essential metals such as iron and manganese.
The epithelial cells that line the intestines form a physical barrier that prevents enteric bacteria from entering the bloodstream. However, some harmful bacteria, Salmonellaare able to break through this barrier and live inside these intestinal cells. The results of the study, supported by a two-year R21 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), were published this week in the journal The. Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesKnodler et al., a peer-reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), found that intestinal epithelial cells excrete iron and manganese from within the cells. Salmonella to limit their Growth in the intestines. This means that if pathogenic bacteria breach the intestinal barrier, the host has a backup defense.
Using a special fluorescent sensor that indicates metal ion availability, Knodler and colleagues tracked where metal restriction occurs in the intestine during infection and how human cells use specialized systems (metal transporters) to suppress these trace metals. The findings highlight new aspects of host-pathogen interactions and suggest that manipulating metal transport pathways may enhance the body’s natural defenses. This new knowledge may lead to newer treatment and diagnostic options. Salmonella Other diarrheal diseases and food poisoning.
All life forms, from bacteria to mammals, require essential trace metals. During an infectious disease, there is an intense biological tug-of-war between the human body and microorganisms for these nutrients, and the outcome determines the severity of the disease. Our study shows that intestinal epithelial cells use metal transporters for starvation Salmonella It is rich in iron and manganese, which inhibits bacterial growth. These transporters are potential drug targets for infections and other human diseases, and our research lays the foundation for understanding where and how they act in the body. ”
Dr. Lee Knoedler, Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont
Next steps in the research include examining the dozens of additional metal transporters present in the gut to determine whether they also contribute to pathogen control and how they collectively shape the nutritional immune landscape. Collaborators on this study include researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Dr. John Sarogiannis of the Larner School of Medicine.
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Reference magazines:
Norberg, E.S.; Others. (2026). SLC11A2 does not contain divalent metals. Salmonella Located in the intestinal epithelium. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2532675123. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2532675123
