Host-pathogen interactions in Burkholderia infection

类鼻疽是一种致命的热带疾病，由类鼻疽伯克霍尔德氏菌引起。我们发现，当细菌感染培养物中的巨噬细胞样细胞（通常杀死细菌）时，细胞会变成像破骨细胞一样的细胞，这种细胞通常会降解骨骼。由于破骨细胞无法杀死细菌，我们推测细菌破坏了巨噬细胞分化途径，并将细胞引导到无法攻击入侵细菌的状态。

Melioidosis is a fatal tropical disease caused by a bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. We found that when the bacterium infects macrophage-like cells in culture (that normally kills bacteria), the cells turn into a cell like an osteoclast, a cell that normally degrades bone. Since an osteoclast is unable to kill bacteria, we speculate that the bacterium subverts the macrophage differentiation pathway and directs the cells into a state where it is unable to attack the invading bacteria.