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Notch signaling pathway in infectious diseases: role in the regulation of immune response

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Abstract

Background

The Notch signaling pathway is a cell signaling system that is conserved in a variety of eukaryotes. Overall, Notch receptors and their ligands are single-pass transmembrane proteins, which often require cell–cell interactions and proteolytic processing to promote signaling. Since its discovery, it has been the subject of extensive research that revealed its importance in several cellular mechanisms, including cell fate determination, hematopoiesis, tissue self-renewal, proliferation, and apoptosis during embryogenesis. Many studies have described the influence of the Notch pathway in modulating the innate and adaptive immune systems.

Methods

We analyzed the literature on the role of the Notch pathway in regulating immune responses during infections, aiming to discuss the importance of establishing a Notch signaling pathway-based approach for predicting the outcome of infectious diseases.

Conclusion

In this review, we present an overview of evidence that demonstrates the direct and indirect effects of interaction between the Notch signaling pathway and the immune responses against bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections, as well as the importance of this pathway to predict the outcome of infectious diseases.

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Acknowledgements

RCC and FAZ were supported by CAPES, Finance Code 001. FGF was supported by FAPESP (2018/15066-0).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, FMRP/USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

    Ricardo Cardoso Castro

  2. Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

    Relber Aguiar Gonçales

  3. Immunology and Epigenetics Lab, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo-FCFRP/USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14040-903, Brazil

    Ricardo Cardoso Castro, Fabiana Albani Zambuzi & Fabiani Gai Frantz

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  1. Ricardo Cardoso Castro
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  2. Relber Aguiar Gonçales
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Correspondence to Fabiani Gai Frantz.

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Castro, R.C., Gonçales, R.A., Zambuzi, F.A. et al. Notch signaling pathway in infectious diseases: role in the regulation of immune response. Inflamm. Res. 70, 261–274 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-021-01442-5

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