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Modeling fimbriae mediated parasite-host interactions

Chu, Dominique, Barnes, David J. (2010) Modeling fimbriae mediated parasite-host interactions. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 264 (4). pp. 1169-1176. (doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2010.03.037) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:30669)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2010.03.037

Abstract

Type 1 fimbriae are a known virulence factor in a number of pathogenic enterobacteriaceae, including Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli. Yet, they are also expressed by some commensal strains, notably of E. coli. One hypothesis of the role of fimbriae in commensals is that they evoke a small but tolerable host immune response in order to have the host release sialic acid, which is a valuable nutrient. Genetic evidence suggests that sialic acid down-regulates fimbriation. This has been believed to enable the cells to reduce virulence when the host response is increasing, thus avoiding a full activation of host defenses. In this article we assess the plausibility of this hypothesis using mathematical models. Our models lead us to two main conclusions: A slight activation of host defenses is only possible with a carefully tuned set of parameters, whereas under a wide range of parameters and assumptions, the model predicts the host defenses to be activated to at least half their potential in response to fimbriation. Secondly, the fact that fimbriation is suppressed by sialic acid seems irrelevant for the global qualitative properties

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2010.03.037
Uncontrolled keywords: determinacy analysis, Craig interpolants,Virulence; E. coli; Type 1 fimbriae;
Subjects: Q Science > QA Mathematics (inc Computing science) > QA 76 Software, computer programming,
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences > School of Computing
Depositing User: David Barnes
Date Deposited: 21 Sep 2012 09:49 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:08 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/30669 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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