Micro-organism attack? or nutrient substrate management?

What is it about?

The article emphasises the importance of cellular debris in the proliferation of invasive and damaging micro-organisms. It is critical that the immune system rapidly re-assimilates the nutrient substrate that accumulates in the wake of self cell damage. A "nutrient desert" suppresses the survival and proliferation of pathogenic micro-organisms.

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Why is it important?

We have formed the belief that the adaptive immune system is a bug hunting, chasing and killing mechanism. However, virtually all recognition by T-cells is of processed debris. It is either (a) the peptide debris generated by APCs that is recognised (CD4 T-cells) or (b) the processed intra-cellular peptide debris that was previously associated with catastrophic self-cell death that is recognised (CD8 T-cells). Native, unprocessed micro-organism are NOT recognised or attacked by T-cells. It is the debris that is under scrutiny - not the micro-organism. The outcome leads to an exaggerated local innate immune response (an inflammatory response) that favours the ingestion of micro-organisms in general.

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