Pathogen-infected cell

A pathogen-infected cell is a host cell that has been invaded by a microorganism, such as a virus, bacterium, or parasite, which utilizes the host's metabolic machinery to facilitate its own replication and survival (NIH, 2023). While not a specific molecular target like a receptor or enzyme, these cells represent the primary biological entity that therapies aim to eliminate or modulate during an infection. Infected cells are characterized by the display of pathogen-derived proteins on their surface or the presentation of pathogen peptides via Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules, which serve as signals for the immune system (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2021). Therapeutic strategies, including monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and engineered T-cells (CAR-T), are designed to recognize these specific markers to selectively kill the infected cell and reduce the pathogen reservoir (PubMed, 2022). However, targeting infected cells is complex due to the risk of cross-reactivity with healthy tissues and the ability of many pathogens to establish latency or mutate their surface antigens to evade detection (StatPearls, 2023; Frontiers in Immunology, 2022).

Other names

Infected host cellInfected cellPathogen-harboring cellHost cell

Elimination of infected cells via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), or direct T-cell mediated lysis following recognition of pathogen-derived surface antigens.