A Nasal Epithelial Receptor for Staphylococcus aureus WTA Governs Adhesion to Epithelial Cells and Modulates Nasal Colonization

PLoS Pathogens

Christopher Weidenmaier¹  Clemens Unger²  Wolfgang H. Hoffmann²  Stefanie Baur³  Maren Rautenberg³  Yannik Severin³  Timo Grau³  Ingo B. Autenrieth³  Manuela Faulstich⁴  Thomas Rudel⁴ 

[1]German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

[2]Institute for Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

[3]Interfacultary Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Department of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

[4]Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie, Biozentrum der Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

关键词: Staphylococcus aureus;    Epithelial cells;    Nasal cavity;    Nose;    CHO cells;    Shear stresses;    Analysis of variance;    Cell walls;   

DOI  :  10.1371/journal.ppat.1004089

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Public Library of Science

【 摘 要 】

Nasal colonization is a major risk factor for S. aureus infections. The mechanisms responsible for colonization are still not well understood and involve several factors on the host and the bacterial side. One key factor is the cell wall teichoic acid (WTA) of S. aureus, which governs direct interactions with nasal epithelial surfaces. We report here the first receptor for the cell wall glycopolymer WTA on nasal epithelial cells. In several assay systems this type F-scavenger receptor, termed SREC-I, bound WTA in a charge dependent manner and mediated adhesion to nasal epithelial cells in vitro. The impact of WTA and SREC-I interaction on epithelial adhesion was especially pronounced under shear stress, which resembles the conditions found in the nasal cavity. Most importantly, we demonstrate here a key role of the WTA-receptor interaction in a cotton rat model of nasal colonization. When we inhibited WTA mediated adhesion with a SREC-I antibody, nasal colonization in the animal model was strongly reduced at the early onset of colonization. More importantly, colonization stayed low over an extended period of 6 days. Therefore we propose targeting of this glycopolymer-receptor interaction as a novel strategy to prevent or control S. aureus nasal colonization.

【 授权许可】

CC BY