The Hunger Games: Salmonella, Anorexia, and NLRP3 Luke A.J. O’Neill  Cell Metabolism  Volume 25, Issue 2, Pages 225-226 (February 2017) DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.01.015 Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions

Figure 1 The Effect of Anorexia on Salmonella Infection The Salmonella protein SlrP inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome in myeloid cells in the lamina propria, limiting vagal nerve stimulation in the intestine. This in turn leads to decreased expression of appetite-suppressing genes in the hypothalamus, limiting anorexia. This response decreases dissemination, promotes host survival, and boosts bacterial transmission. More generally, the study by Rao and colleagues (2017) allows us to infer that during a bacterial infection, mild anorexia will be beneficial to the host but will promote spread of infection. If the anorexia is more profound (e.g., in response to certain bacteria or due to increased load) or if nutrients are scarce, this will limit host defense, promote dissemination, and compromise the host, limiting the spread of infection. Cell Metabolism 2017 25, 225-226DOI: (10.1016/j.cmet.2017.01.015) Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions