Inflammation suppressor genes: Please switch out all the lights

Abstract

An effective immune system requires rapid and appropriate activation of inflammatory mechanisms but equally rapid and effective resolution of the inflammatory state. A review of the canonical host response to gram-negative bacteria, the lipopolysaccharide-Toll-like receptor 4 signaling cascade, highlights the induction of repressors that act at each step of the activation process. These inflammation suppressor genes are characterized by their induction in response to pathogen, typically late hi the macrophage activation program, and include an expanding class of dominant-negative proteins derived from alternate splicing of common signaling components. Despite the expanse of anti-inflammatory..