Abstract:

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is one of the four major foodborne pathogenic bacteria and is also an ideal model
of mechanism studies on pathogenic bacteria. As a typical intracellular bacterium, Lm can penetrate the intestinal barrier,
blood-brain barrier, and placental barrier of host defense system. It can use different strategies to escape from host defense,
and the specific life style ensures its survival and proliferative ability within the host cells. Hence, mechanism studies on pathogenic
bacteria involve diverse systems such as Lm virulence factors, host cell receptors, and signal transduction of both Lm and host
response. Considering distinct strategies of Lm invading different types of host cells, we focus on reviewing recent publications
about Lm invasion mechanisms on phagocytic cells, non-immune body cells and animal models in this article.

Key words: Listeria monocytogenes, virulent factors, host invasion, pathogenic mechanism