Lipid rafts, solid regions of the plasma membrane enriched in cholesterol and glycosphingolipids, are essential parts of a cell. Functionally, lipid rafts present a platform that facilitates interaction of cells with the outside world. However, the unique properties of lipid rafts required to fulfill this function at the same time make them susceptible to exploitation by pathogens. Many steps of pathogen interaction with host cells, and sometimes all steps within the entire lifecycle of various pathogens, rely on host lipid rafts. Such steps as binding of pathogens to the host cells, invasion of intracellular parasites into the cell, the intracellular dwelling of parasites, microbial assembly and exit from the host cell, and microbe transfer from one cell to another all involve lipid rafts. Interaction also includes modification of lipid rafts in host cells, inflicted by pathogens from both inside and outside the cell, through contact or remotely, to advance pathogen replication, to utilize cellular resources, and/or to mitigate immune response. Here, we provide a systematic overview of how and why pathogens interact with and exploit host lipid rafts, as well as the consequences of this interaction for the host, locally and systemically, and for the microbe. We also raise the possibility of modulation of lipid rafts as a therapeutic approach against a variety of infectious agents.

中文翻译：

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脂筏和病原体：欺骗和利用的艺术。


脂筏是质膜上富含胆固醇和鞘糖脂的固体区域，是细胞的重要组成部分。从功能上讲，脂筏提供了一个促进细胞与外界相互作用的平台。然而，同时实现这一功能所需的脂筏的独特性质使它们容易被病原体利用。病原体与宿主细胞相互作用的许多步骤，有时甚至是各种病原体整个生命周期内的所有步骤，都依赖于宿主脂筏。病原体与宿主细胞的结合、细胞内寄生虫侵入细胞、寄生虫在细胞内栖息、微生物组装和离开宿主细胞以及微生物从一个细胞转移到另一个细胞等步骤都涉及脂筏。相互作用还包括由来自细胞内部和外部的病原体通过接触或远程造成的宿主细胞中脂筏的修饰，以促进病原体复制、利用细胞资源和/或减轻免疫反应。在这里，我们系统地概述了病原体如何以及为何与宿主脂筏相互作用并利用宿主脂筏，以及这种相互作用对宿主（局部和全身）以及微生物的影响。我们还提出了调节脂筏作为针对多种感染原的治疗方法的可能性。