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Published on: February 23, 2021
A pursuit of Staphylococcus aureus continues: a role of persister cells
JuOae Chang1, Rho-Eun Lee1, Wonsik Lee2
1School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066, Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon, 16419, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
Abstract:
Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that causes critical diseases, such as pneumonia, endocarditis, and bacteremia, upon gaining access to the bloodstream of the host. Because host innate immunity alone cannot fight against this rapidly expanding pathogen, the use of antibiotic agents is necessary to clear out S. aureus. However, sub-populations of S. aureus fail to respond to the antibiotics resulting in ineffective clearance of the bacteria. One mechanism by which S. aureus does not respond to the antibiotics is by developing resistance through alterations in its genetic makeup, and genetic studies have revealed a major portion of mechanisms that are responsible for the rise of these antibiotic-resistant strains. Another sub-population that fails to respond to the antibiotics is called persister cells. There is a mounting clinical evidence that these persister cells significantly contribute to the antibiotic failure and persistent infection, but a clear mechanistic picture of the formation of the S. aureus persister cells is unavailable. This review focuses on drawing out a mechanistic map of factors that contribute to the formation of S. aureus persister cells. Understanding the mechanism will provide future direction for the development of novel antibiotic strategies to more efficiently tackle infections caused by S. aureus.
Insights
Staphylococcus aureus infections are hard to treat because some bacteria, known as persister cells, survive antibiotics. Understanding how these persister cells form is key to developing new treatments for persistent Staphylococcus aureus infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Drug Resistance
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus causes severe diseases like pneumonia and bacteremia.
- Antibiotics are crucial for treating S. aureus, but some bacterial subpopulations resist treatment.
- Antibiotic resistance and persister cells contribute to treatment failure and persistent infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanisms behind Staphylococcus aureus persister cell formation.
- To provide a mechanistic map of factors contributing to persister cell development.
- To guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies against S. aureus infections.
Main Methods:
- This review synthesizes current research on S. aureus persister cells.
- It focuses on identifying and mapping the factors involved in their formation.
- Genetic studies on antibiotic-resistant strains are considered.
Main Results:
- Antibiotic resistance in S. aureus arises from genetic alterations.
- Persister cells represent a distinct subpopulation that survives antibiotic treatment.
- The precise mechanisms of S. aureus persister cell formation require further elucidation.
Conclusions:
- Persister cells are a significant factor in antibiotic treatment failure for S. aureus infections.
- A comprehensive understanding of persister cell mechanisms is lacking.
- Targeting persister cell formation could lead to more effective treatments for S. aureus.
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