Staphylococcus aureus Pneumonia: Preceding Influenza Infection Paves the Way for Low-Virulent Strains.

Staphylococcus aureus is a facultative pathogenic bacterium that colonizes the nasopharyngeal area of healthy individuals, but can also induce severe infection, such as pneumonia. Pneumonia caused by mono- or superinfected S.aureus leads to high mortality rates. To establish an infection, S. aureus disposes of a wide variety of virulence factors, which can vary between clinical isolates. Our study aimed to characterize pneumonia isolates for their virulent capacity. For this, we analyzed isolates from colonization, pneumonia due to S. aureus, and pneumonia due to S. aureus/influenza virus co-infection. A total of 70 strains were analyzed for their virulence genes and the host-pathogen interaction was analyzed through functional assays in cell culture systems. Strains from pneumonia due to S. aureus mono-infection showed enhanced invasion and cytotoxicity against professional phagocytes than colonizing and co-infecting strains. This corresponded to the high presence of cytotoxic components in pneumonia strains. By contrast, strains obtained from co-infection did not exhibit these virulence characteristics and resembled strains from colonization, although they caused the highest mortality rate in patients. Taken together, our results underline the requirement of invasion and toxins to cause pneumonia due to S. aureus mono-infection, whereas in co-infection even low-virulent strains can severely aggravate pneumonia.

Qualitative and quantitative changes in the oral bacterial flora occur shortly after implementation of fixed orthodontic appliances.

INTRODUCTION: In this pilot study, we aimed to determine qualitative and quantitative microbiological changes after the implementation of orthodontic appliances. METHODS: A total of 10 healthy patients aged 12-15 years were recruited who needed to undergo orthodontic treatment with buccal fixed appliances. Gingival conditions were assessed by the Gingival Index, Periodontal Screening Index, and Sulcus Bleeding Index. Microbiological samples were collected before and 1 week after the start of therapy at premolars and molars of the right upper quadrant. Bacterial species were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The total number of bacteria increased. Six bacterial species were identified that are involved in the development of caries and other infectious processes. The bacteria selectively adapted more efficiently to the new oral milieu compared with the general oral microbial background. There was a significant increase in Streptococcus spp at the premolars and molars. In all individuals, symptoms of inflammation and gingivitis were detected as a response to the bacterial challenge. CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontic treatment induces significant changes in the oral microbial flora associated with gingivitis and an enhanced risk for cariogenic reactions within the first days of orthodontic treatment. To prevent or reduce infectious side effects, oral hygiene instructions and control of patients are necessary before and during the beginning of the therapy.

Author Correction: The Staphylococcus aureus extracellular matrix protein (Emp) has a fibrous structure and binds to different extracellular matrices.

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The Staphylococcus aureus extracellular matrix protein (Emp) has a fibrous structure and binds to different extracellular matrices.

The extracellular matrix protein Emp of Staphylococcus aureus is a secreted adhesin that mediates interactions between the bacterial surface and extracellular host structures. However, its structure and role in staphylococcal pathogenesis remain unknown. Using multidisciplinary approaches, including circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, transmission electron (TEM) and immunogold transmission electron microscopy, functional ELISA assays and in silico techniques, we characterized the Emp protein. We demonstrated that Emp and its truncated forms bind to suprastructures in human skin, cartilage or bone, among which binding activity seems to be higher for skin compounds. The binding domain is located in the C-terminal part of the protein. CD spectroscopy revealed high contents of ß-sheets (39.58%) and natively disordered structures (41.2%), and TEM suggested a fibrous structure consisting of Emp polymers. The N-terminus seems to be essential for polymerization. Due to the uncommonly high histidine content, we suggest that Emp represents a novel type of histidine-rich protein sharing structural similarities to leucine-rich repeats proteins as predicted by the I-TASSER algorithm. These new findings suggest a role of Emp in infections of deeper tissue and open new possibilities for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Staphylococcus aureus Regulator Sigma B is Important to Develop Chronic Infections in Hematogenous Murine Osteomyelitis Model.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen causing bone infections that can become chronic and difficult to treat. Recently, we described the mechanism employed by S. aureus to switch to small colony variants (SCVs) and trigger intracellular bacterial persistence through the global stress regulator SigB. Here, we studied the role of SigB in the formation of chronic osteomyelitis. We used a murine hematogenous osteomyelitis model, where the mice were infected via the tail vein and subsequently developed chronic osteomyelitis. Mice were infected with S. aureus LS1, LS1ΔsigB and LS1ΔsigB complemented and kidney and bone tissues were analyzed six weeks after infection. S. aureus LS1ΔsigB formed a high rate of abscesses in kidneys, but the bacterial loads and the weight loss of the animals were lower in comparison with animals infected with the wild type and the complemented strain, indicating a more rapid and efficient bacterial clearing by the host immune system. Moreover, the sigB-mutant was not able to form SCV phenotypes either in kidney or in bone tissue. Our results demonstrate that staphylococcal SigB is important to avoid bacterial elimination by the host immune response, establish a bone infection and mediate bacterial adaptation (SCV-formation) for persistent infections.

Sigma Factor SigB Is Crucial to Mediate Staphylococcus aureus Adaptation during Chronic Infections.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that causes a range of infections from acute invasive to chronic and difficult-to-treat. Infection strategies associated with persisting S. aureus infections are bacterial host cell invasion and the bacterial ability to dynamically change phenotypes from the aggressive wild-type to small colony variants (SCVs), which are adapted for intracellular long-term persistence. The underlying mechanisms of the bacterial switching and adaptation mechanisms appear to be very dynamic, but are largely unknown. Here, we analyzed the role and the crosstalk of the global S. aureus regulators agr, sarA and SigB by generating single, double and triple mutants, and testing them with proteome analysis and in different in vitro and in vivo infection models. We were able to demonstrate that SigB is the crucial factor for adaptation in chronic infections. During acute infection, the bacteria require the simultaneous action of the agr and sarA loci to defend against invading immune cells by causing inflammation and cytotoxicity and to escape from phagosomes in their host cells that enable them to settle an infection at high bacterial density. To persist intracellularly the bacteria subsequently need to silence agr and sarA. Indeed agr and sarA deletion mutants expressed a much lower number of virulence factors and could persist at high numbers intracellularly. SigB plays a crucial function to promote bacterial intracellular persistence. In fact, ΔsigB-mutants did not generate SCVs and were completely cleared by the host cells within a few days. In this study we identified SigB as an essential factor that enables the bacteria to switch from the highly aggressive phenotype that settles an acute infection to a silent SCV-phenotype that allows for long-term intracellular persistence. Consequently, the SigB-operon represents a possible target to develop preventive and therapeutic strategies against chronic and therapy-refractory infections.

Staphylococcus aureus isolates from chronic osteomyelitis are characterized by high host cell invasion and intracellular adaptation, but still induce inflammation.

Osteomyelitis is a severe inflammatory disease of the bone that is mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Particularly, bone infections are difficult to treat and can develop into a chronic course with a high relapsing rate despite of antimicrobial treatments. The complex interaction of staphylococci with osseous tissue and the bacterial ability to invade host cells are thought to determine the severity of infection. Yet, defined bacterial virulence factors responsible for the pathogenesis of osteomyelitis have not been clearly identified. The aim of this study was to detect S. aureus virulence factors that are associated with osteomyelitis and contribute to a chronic course of infection. To this purpose, we collected 41 S. aureus isolates, each 11 from acute osteomyelitis (infection period less than 2 months), 10 from chronic osteomyelitis (infection period more than 12 months), 10 from sepsis and 10 from nasal colonization. All isolates were analyzed for gene expression and in functional in-vitro systems. Adhesion assays to bone matrix revealed that all isolates equally bound to matrix structures, but invasion assays in human osteoblasts showed a high invasive capacity of chronic osteomyelitis isolates. The high invasion rate could not be explained by defined adhesins, as all infecting strains expressed a multitude of adhesins that act together and determine the level of adhesion. Following host cell invasion isolates from chronic osteomyelitis induced less cytotoxicity than all other isolates and a higher percentage of Small-colony-variant (SCV)-formation, which represents an adaptation mechanism during long-term persistence. Isolates from acute and chronic osteomyelitis strongly produced biofilm and highly expressed agr and sarA that regulate secreted virulence factors and induced an inflammatory response in osteoblasts. In conclusion, chronic osteomyelitis isolates were characterized by a high host cell invasion rate, low cytotoxicity and the ability to persist and adapt within osteoblasts. Furthermore, isolates from both acute and chronic osteomyelitis strongly produced biofilm and induced high levels of host cell inflammation, which may explain tissue destruction and bone deformation observed as typical complications of long-lasting bone infections.

Soluble CD163 masks fibronectin-binding protein A-mediated inflammatory activation of Staphylococcus aureus infected monocytes.

Binding to fibronectin (FN) is a crucial pathogenic factor of Staphylococcus aureus mediated by fibronectin-binding protein A (FnBP-A) and extracellular adherence protein (Eap). Recently, we have shown that binding of soluble CD163 (sCD163) to FN linked to these molecules exhibits anti-microbial effects by enhancing phagocytosis and killing activity of S. aureus-infected monocytes. However, it remained unclear whether sCD163 also influences the monocytic activation status. Using genetically modified staphylococcal strains we now identified FnBP-A, but not Eap, as activator of the inflammatory response of monocytes to infection. FnBP-A-mediated inflammatory activation was masked by sCD163 binding to S. aureus promoting efficient pathogen elimination. Thus, sCD163 protects monocytes from overwhelming activation upon staphylococcal infection by dampening the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1ß, IL-6 and IL-8 and DAMP molecule MRP8/14. Moreover, sCD163 limited expression of pro-apoptotic transcription factor NR4A1 induced during S. aureus infection and inhibited induction of chemokine CXCL2promoting survival of staphylococci in vivo. sCD163-mediated effects were not due to general immunosuppression since MAP kinase activation and ROS production were unaltered during infection of monocytes with sCD163-bound bacteria. Thus, sCD163 promotes a specific defence of the immune system against FnBP-A-mediated inflammatory activation enabling successful pathogen elimination, tissue recovery and resolution of inflammation.