Peptidoglycan or murein is a unique large macromolecule, a polysaccharide, consisting of sugars and amino acids that forms a mesh-like peptidoglycan layer (sacculus) that surrounds the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. The sugar component consists of alternating residues of β-(1,4) linked N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM). Attached to the N-acetylmuramic acid is an oligopeptide chain made of three to five amino acids. The peptide chain can be cross-linked to the peptide chain of another strand forming the 3D mesh-like layer. Peptidoglycan serves a structural role in the bacterial cell wall, giving structural strength, as well as counteracting the osmotic pressure of the cytoplasm. This repetitive linking results in a dense peptidoglycan layer which is critical for maintaining cell form and withstanding high osmotic pressures, and it is regularly replaced by peptidoglycan production. Peptidoglycan hydrolysis and synthesis are two processes that must occur in order for cells to grow and multiply, a technique carried out in three stages: clipping of current material, insertion of new material, and re-crosslinking of existing material to new material.
Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, abdominal distension, and weight loss. Complications outside of the gastrointestinal tract may include anemia, skin rashes, arthritis, inflammation of the eye, and fatigue. The skin rashes may be due to infections as well as pyoderma gangrenosum or erythema nodosum. Bowel obstruction may occur as a complication of chronic inflammation, and those with the disease are at greater risk of colon cancer and small bowel cancer.
Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) play a crucial role in the proper function of the innate immune system. PRRs are germline-encoded host sensors, which detect molecules typical for the pathogens. They are proteins expressed mainly by cells of the innate immune system, such as dendritic cells, macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils, as well as by epithelial cells, to identify two classes of molecules: pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), which are associated with microbial pathogens, and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which are associated with components of host's cells that are released during cell damage or death. They are also called primitive pattern recognition receptors because they evolved before other parts of the immune system, particularly before adaptive immunity. PRRs also mediate the initiation of antigen-specific adaptive immune response and release of inflammatory cytokines.
Caspase recruitment domains, or caspase activation and recruitment domains (CARDs), are interaction motifs found in a wide array of proteins, typically those involved in processes relating to inflammation and apoptosis. These domains mediate the formation of larger protein complexes via direct interactions between individual CARDs. CARDs are found on a strikingly wide range of proteins, including helicases, kinases, mitochondrial proteins, caspases, and other cytoplasmic factors.
NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NLRP3 gene located on the long arm of chromosome 1.
Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2), also known as caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 15 (CARD15) or inflammatory bowel disease protein 1 (IBD1), is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NOD2 gene located on chromosome 16. NOD2 plays an important role in the immune system. It recognizes bacterial molecules (peptidoglycans) and stimulates an immune reaction.
Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCAs) are antibodies against antigens presented by the cell wall of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These antibodies are directed against oligomannose sequences α-1,3 Man n. ASCAs and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCAs) are the two most useful and often discriminating biomarkers for colitis. ASCA tends to recognize Crohn's disease more frequently, whereas pANCA tend to recognize ulcerative colitis.
Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) is a protein receptor that in humans is encoded by the NOD1 gene. It recognizes bacterial molecules and stimulates an immune reaction.
Peptidoglycan recognition protein 2(PGLYRP2) is an enzyme, N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase (NAMLAA), that hydrolyzes bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan and is encoded by the PGLYRP2 gene.
NLR family CARD domain-containing protein 4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NLRC4 gene.
Autophagy related 16 like 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ATG16L1 gene. This protein is characterized as a subunit of the autophagy-related ATG12-ATG5/ATG16 complex and is essentially important for the LC3 (ATG8) lipidation and autophagosome formation. This complex localizes to the membrane and is released just before or after autophagosome completion.
The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors, or NOD-like receptors (NLRs), are intracellular sensors of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) that enter the cell via phagocytosis or pores, and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that are associated with cell stress. They are types of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), and play key roles in the regulation of innate immune response. NLRs can cooperate with toll-like receptors (TLRs) and regulate inflammatory and apoptotic response.
Inflammasomes are cytosolic multiprotein oligomers of the innate immune system responsible for the activation of inflammatory responses. Activation and assembly of the inflammasome promotes proteolytic cleavage, maturation and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 18 (IL-18), as well as cleavage of gasdermin D. The N-terminal fragment resulting from this cleavage induces a pro-inflammatory form of programmed cell death distinct from apoptosis, referred to as pyroptosis, and is responsible for secretion of the mature cytokines, presumably through the formation of pores in the plasma membrane. Additionally, inflammasomes can be incorporated into larger cell death-inducing complexes called PANoptosomes, which drive another distinct form of pro-inflammatory cell death called PANoptosis.
Blau syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic inflammatory disorder which affects the skin, eyes, and joints. It is caused by a mutation in the NOD2 (CARD15) gene. Symptoms usually begin before the age of four, and the disease manifests as early onset cutaneous sarcoidosis, granulomatous arthritis, and uveitis.
Mifamurtide is a drug against osteosarcoma, a kind of bone cancer mainly affecting children and young adults, which is lethal in over half of cases. The drug was approved in Europe in March 2009.
A pyrin domain is a protein domain and a subclass of protein motif known as the death fold, the 4th and most recently discovered member of the death domain superfamily (DDF). It was originally discovered in the pyrin protein, or marenostrin, encoded by MEFV. The mutation of the MEFV gene is the cause of the disease known as Familial Mediterranean Fever. The domain is encoded in 23 human proteins and at least 31 mouse genes.
NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 11 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NLRP11 gene located on the long arm of human chromosome 19q13.42. NLRP11 belongs to the NALP subfamily, part of a large subfamily of CATERPILLER. It is also known as NALP11, PYPAF6, NOD17, PAN10, and CLR19.6
NLRP (Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, Leucine rich Repeat and Pyrin domain containing), also abbreviated as NALP, is a type of NOD-like receptor. NOD-like receptors are a type of pattern recognition receptor that are found in the cytosol of the cell, recognizing signals of antigens in the cell. NLRP proteins are part of the innate immune system and detect conserved pathogen characteristics, or pathogen-associated molecular patterns, such as such as peptidoglycan, which is found on some bacterial cells. It is thought that NLRP proteins sense danger signals linked to microbial products, initiating the processes associated with the activation of the inflammasome, including K+ efflux and caspase 1 activation. NLRPs are also known to be associated with a number of diseases. Research suggests NLRP proteins may be involved in combating retroviruses in gametes. As of now, there are at least 14 different known NLRP genes in humans, which are named NLRP1 through NLRP14. The genes translate into proteins with differing lengths of leucine-rich repeat domains.
Peptidoglycan recognition protein 3 is an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory innate immunity protein that in humans is encoded by the PGLYRP3 gene.
Autoinflammatory diseases (AIDs) are a group of rare disorders caused by dysfunction of the innate immune system. They are characterized by periodic or chronic systemic inflammation, usually without the involvement of adaptive immunity.
