Newly published research from the Swamy lab reveals how intestinal immune cells combat Salmonella infection, using specialized killer molecules called Granzymes.

Scientists found that granzymes, enzymes released by immune cells, activate multiple cell death pathways—such as apoptosis and pyroptosis—in infected cells. These distinct mechanisms work together to both kill the infected cells and remove them from the gut wall, providing robust defence against infection. By triggering several pathways, granzymes ensure that Salmonella cannot easily evade the immune response, effectively containing the pathogen's spread. This discovery underscores the complexity of the immune response and offers insights into how the body’s natural defences fight dangerous infections like Salmonella, a common cause of foodborne illness.

This research was funded by the Wellcome Trust and was published in Mucosal Immunology. The full article can be accessed here.

Images are of joint first authors Dr. Amanpreet Singh Chawla and Dr. Maud Vandereyken.