AUTHOR=Nickerson Rhea , Thornton Christina S. , Johnston Brent , Lee Amy H. Y. , Cheng Zhenyu 

TITLE=Pseudomonas aeruginosa in chronic lung disease: untangling the dysregulated host immune response

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1405376

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2024.1405376

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</italic> is a highly adaptable opportunistic pathogen capable of exploiting barriers and immune defects to cause chronic lung infections in conditions such as cystic fibrosis. In these contexts, host immune responses are ineffective at clearing persistent bacterial infection, instead driving a cycle of inflammatory lung damage. This review outlines key components of the host immune response to chronic <italic>P. aeruginosa</italic> infection within the lung, beginning with initial pathogen recognition, followed by a robust yet maladaptive innate immune response, and an ineffective adaptive immune response that propagates lung damage while permitting bacterial persistence. Untangling the interplay between host immunity and chronic <italic>P. aeruginosa</italic> infection will allow for the development and refinement of strategies to modulate immune-associated lung damage and potentiate the immune system to combat chronic infection more effectively.</p>