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Cellular inflammatory response to persistent localized Staphylococcus aureus infection: phenotypical and functional

C Wagner1, C Iking-Konert, F Hug

  • 1Klinik für Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie, Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Clinical and Experimental Immunology
|December 22, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Persistent Staphylococcus aureus infections cause significant tissue damage. In these cases, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) transform into dendritic-like cells, potentially enhancing the local immune response against the bacteria.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Antibiotic-refractory Staphylococcus aureus infections lead to severe tissue destruction, often necessitating surgery.
  • Immune cell infiltration, primarily polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), characterizes these localized infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the immune response in patients with persistent Staphylococcus aureus infections.
  • To determine the functional characteristics and potential differentiation of immune cells, particularly PMN, during S. aureus infection.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of immune cell infiltrates in patient samples (olecranon bursitis, knee joint empyema, soft tissue abscesses).
  • Flow cytometry to assess expression of cell surface markers (CD64, CD14, MHC class II, CD83) on PMN.
  • Functional assays measuring PMN oxygen radical production and chemotaxis.
  • In vitro induction of PMN transdifferentiation and co-culture with autologous T lymphocytes.

Main Results:

  • PMN exhibited enhanced CD64 and CD14 expression and increased oxygen radical production but reduced chemotaxis.
  • A subset of PMN acquired major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and CD83, indicating transdifferentiation into dendritic-like cells.
  • Transdifferentiated PMN induced significant T cell proliferation in the presence of S. aureus enterotoxin A.

Conclusions:

  • Persistent S. aureus infection induces PMN to acquire dendritic cell-like properties.
  • This PMN transdifferentiation may play a role in modulating the local immune response during chronic S. aureus infections.
  • Understanding this phenomenon could offer new therapeutic strategies for refractory S. aureus infections.

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