Listeria Adhesion Protein Induces Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction for Bacterial Translocation (Cell Host & Microbe)

The pathogen Listeria monocytogenes crosses the intestinal barrier during infection. Drolia et al. show that L. monocytogenes employs Listeria adhesion protein (LAP) to exploit epithelial innate defenses and induce intestinal barrier dysfunction. LAP induces activation of NF-?B and MLCK, resulting in cellular redistribution of epithelial junction proteins and bacterial translocation.