Immune Evasion byStaphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus has become a serious threat to human health. In addition to having increased antibiotic resistance, the bacterium is a master at adapting to its host by evading almost every facet of the immune system, the so-called immune evasion proteins. Many of these immune evasion proteins target neutrophils, the most important immune cells in clearing S. aureus infections. The neutrophil attacks pathogens via a plethora of strategies. Therefore, it is no surprise that S. aureus has evolved numerous immune evasion strategies at almost every level imaginable. In this review we discuss step by step the aspects of neutrophil-mediated killing of S. aureus , such as neutrophil activation, migration to the site of infection, bacterial opsonization, phagocytosis, and subsequent neutrophil-mediated killing. After each section we discuss how S. aureus evasion molecules are able to resist the neutrophil attack of these different steps. To date, around 40 immune evasion molecules of S. aureus are known, but its repertoire is still expanding due to the discovery of new evasion proteins and the addition of new functions to already identified evasion proteins. Interestingly, because the different parts of neutrophil attack are redundant, the evasion molecules display redundant functions as well. Knowing how and with which proteins S. aureus is evading the immune system is important in understanding the pathophysiology of this pathogen. This knowledge is crucial for the development of therapeutic approaches that aim to clear staphylococcal infections.

Identification of novel molecular markers of mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus using gene expression profiling in two consecutive generations of Chinese Holstein dairy cattle

“…Transcriptome changes in peripheral blood leukocytes from S. aureus-positive cattle compared to S. aureusnegative control cattle It is well established that S. aureus, as an intracellular pathogen of mammals, has evolved a wide range of mechanisms for immunosuppression and immunoreaction [31,32]. To investigate host-pathogen interaction in bovine PBL infected with S. aureus, the transcriptomes of infected cattle and non-infected healthy control animals were compared.…”

“…Chinese dairy cattle represent a relatively outbred animal population with significant variation in genetic background [52]. S. aureus can readily adapt to its host through evasion of almost every facet of the immune system [32]; therefore, S. aureus-infected cows may exhibit less severe and milder immune responses, which may account for the relatively small number of DEGs. In this regard, Fang et al also reported modest differential gene expression in bovine mammary gland induced by a low dose of S. aureus to simulate naturally infected mastitis [44].…”

The Multivalent Role of Fibronectin-Binding Proteins A and B (FnBPA and FnBPB) of Staphylococcus aureus in Host Infections

“…Staphylococcus aureus, a formidable pathogen that colonizes 30% of the population asymptomatically (Wertheim et al, 2005), is a major etiological agent of soft tissue infections such as cellulitis and superficial skin disease and a serious cause of abscesses, sepsis, pneumonia and endocarditis (Tong et al, 2015). In addition, to having increasing antibiotic resistance, the bacterium is a master in adapting to its host by avoiding almost every facet of the immune system (de Jong et al, 2019). S. aureus can express a broad multitude of virulence factors, most of which are surface proteins covalently anchored to wall peptidoglycan (CWA, cell wall-anchored proteins).…”

Revisiting the regulation of the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis gene cluster in Staphylococcus aureus

“…Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen that asymptomatically colonizes parts of the human population, thereby increasing the risk of subsequent infections. Its capacity to cause a wide variety of diseases depends on secreted virulence factors as well as cell surface‐attached proteins and polysaccharides (Gordon and Lowy, ; Weidenmaier and Lee, ; de Jong et al , ). The capsular polysaccharide (CP) is one of these cell surface structures playing an important role in S. aureus pathogenesis and bacterial evasion of the host immune defenses (O'Riordan and Lee, ; Weidenmaier and Lee, ).…”