Toll-like Receptors and the Host Response to Salmonella Enterica

Salmonella species cause a wide range of disease syndromes in many animals, including all the most important farm species. We have shown that Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plays a critical role in causing death in lethal mouse typhoid infections probably via generation of inappropriately high levels of cytokine mediators. Recent work suggests that Toll-like receptors are involved in mediating signalling responses to LPS. <P>
In this study we will investigate the hypothesis that the protective immune response as well as the lethality seen in different Salmonella infections in mice are both dependent on LPS interactions with Toll-like receptors.