Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
11:56
Ex Vivo Infection of Murine Epidermis with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1
Published on: August 24, 2015
Keratinocyte Priming by Staphylococcus aureus Reduces HSV-1 Susceptibility
Phila Cara Baumann1, Rebecca Pospich1, Katinka Döhner1
1Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Allergy
|May 20, 2026
Summary
Staphylococcus aureus colonization on skin may protect against eczema herpeticum (a severe herpes simplex virus type 1 infection) by activating antiviral defenses in skin cells.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Atopic dermatitis (AD) patients have increased risk of skin infections like eczema herpeticum (EH).
- The role of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) colonization in AD susceptibility to EH is not well understood.
- This study investigates skin microbiome differences in AD patients with and without EH.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare skin microbiome diversity in AD patients with (ADEH+) and without (ADEH-) EH.
- To determine the impact of S. aureus and S. epidermidis on herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in vitro.
- To explore the mechanisms by which S. aureus may influence HSV-1 susceptibility.
Main Methods:
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing for skin microbiome analysis.
- In vitro keratinocyte model with pre-incubation of heat-killed bacteria (HKSA, HKSE).
- HSV-1 infection assays with and without Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-13), followed by transcriptomic analysis.
Main Results:
- ADEH+ patients exhibited reduced microbial diversity with higher S. aureus and S. epidermidis colonization.
- Heat-killed S. aureus (HKSA), but not S. epidermidis (HKSE), conferred protection against HSV-1 infection.
- HKSA induced interferon pathways, antimicrobial peptides, and downregulated HSV-1 entry factors in keratinocytes.
Conclusions:
- S. aureus colonization primes keratinocytes into a protective state against HSV-1.
- This protective effect is mediated by the downregulation of viral entry receptors and activation of innate antiviral responses.
- Findings suggest a potential role for S. aureus in modulating EH risk in atopic dermatitis.
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