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Updated: Jun 25, 2025

A Mouse Model to Assess Innate Immune Response to Staphylococcus aureus Infection
Published on: February 28, 2019
Staphylococcus aureus Serine protease-like protein A (SplA) induces IL-8 by keratinocytes and synergizes with IL-17A
D P De Donato1, R Effner2, M Nordengrün3
1Translational Immunology in Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; Vascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
Background:
Serine protease-like (Spl) proteins produced by Staphylococcus (S.) aureus have been associated with allergic inflammation. However, effects of Spls on the epidermal immune response have not been investigated.
Objectives:
To assess the epidermal immune response to SplA, SplD and SplE dependent on differentiation of keratinocytes and a Th2 or Th17 cytokine milieu.
Methods:
Human keratinocytes of healthy controls and a STAT3-hyper-IgE syndrome (STAT3-HIES) patient were cultured in different calcium concentrations in the presence of Spls and Th2 or Th17 cytokines. Keratinocyte-specific IL-8 production and concomitant migration of neutrophils were assessed.
Results:
SplE and more significantly SplA, induced IL-8 in keratinocytes. Suprabasal-like keratinocytes showed a higher Spl-mediated IL-8 production and neutrophil migration compared to basal-like keratinocytes. Th17 cytokines amplified Spl-mediated IL-8 production, which correlated with neutrophil recruitment. Neutrophil recruitment by keratinocytes of the STAT3-HIES patient was similar to healthy control cells.
Conclusion:
S. aureus-specific Spl proteases synergized with IL-17A on human keratinocytes with respect to IL-8 release and neutrophil migration, highlighting the importance of keratinocytes and Th17 immunity in barrier function.
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