Flagellin in combination with curli fimbriae elicits an immune response in the gastrointestinal epithelial cell line HT-29.
Flagellin is the major cytokine-releasing factor when Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) infects intestinal epithelial cells. In this work it is shown that curli, an adhesive proteinaceous surface component of Enterobacteriaceae involved in biofilm formation of S. Typhimurium and Escherichia coli strains can bind flagellin and thus elicit an immune response by the intestinal epithelial cell line HT-29.