HMGB1 and infection: For instance, despite the well-established pathogenic role of HMGB1 in infection- and injury-elicited inflammation (13), the disruption of HMGB1 expression adversely renders animals more susceptible to both infectious (52) or injurious insults (53), indicating distinct roles of intracellular and extracellular HMGB1 in health and diseases (54).