Résumé
The central nervous system (CNS) offers a secluded hiding place from immune surveillance due to the existence of the blood brain barrier. However, the complexity of neuronal networks makes accessing the CNS a particularly difficult task for microbial pathogens. Some viruses and bacterial toxins can specifically interact with neuronal membrane receptors and trafficking components, allowing them to access the CNS and undergo long-range axonal transport from nerve termini to neuronal cell bodies. Even though these microbial agents cause a wide spectrum of neuronal pathologies, their mode of access may be similar in term of the molecular mechanisms involved. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms used by pathogens to exploit the axonal transport route during CNS invasion.