A promising Staphylococcus aureus vaccine adjuvant candidate to overcome Staphylococcal infection based on innate...

Staphylococcus aureus-mediated human disease ranges from minor skin infection to life threatening diseases. In the past, infections caused by this bacterium could be treated with antibiotics. However, this species has become increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Therefore, vaccines as alternative therapeutic tools is urgently required for controlling this troubles pathogen. But thus far, all vaccines in human clinical trials for preventing S. aureus infections have failed. Three major reasons for this failure can be summarized: 1) An effective antigen has not yet been identified; 2) Host protective immune responses against S. aureus are unclear; 3) Good animal model is not yet identified. The most critical challenge is that despite robust serum immunoglobulin G titers, vaccinated hosts fail to eliminate intracellular S. aureus. To solve this problem, a vaccine inducing both humoral- and cellular-immunity should be designed and developed. Based on our research experiences and recent other groups' published data, we propose that microbial glycopolymers, which are activating host innate immunity, should be considered as a new S. aureus vaccine adjuvant. Here, our review aims at highlighting how the latest advances in carbohydrates immunobiology can guide the design and development of better S. aureus vaccines and adjuvants.