Defens-IN! Human α-Defensin 5 Acts as an Unwitting Double Agent to Promote Shigella Infection.
Murphy AG., Maloy KJ.
Shigella pathogenesis has confounded researchers for years because of its narrow host selectivity and extraordinary infectious capability. In this issue of Immunity, Xu et al. (2018) identify a cunning mechanism whereby Shigella hijacks human α-defensin 5 to enhance its adhesion and subsequent invasion.