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Subversion of interleukin‐1‐mediated host defence by a nasal carrier strain of Staphylococcus aureus
Author(s) -
Quinn Gerry A.,
Tarwater Patrick M.,
Cole Alexander M.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2567.2008.02952.x
Subject(s) - staphylococcus aureus , microbiology and biotechnology , pathogen , biology , strain (injury) , immunology , bacteria , anatomy , genetics
Summary Staphylococcus aureus , a major source of nosocomial and community‐acquired infections, has a nasal carriage rate exceeding 25% in the human population. To elucidate host–pathogen interactions pertaining to nasal carriage, we examined the role of interleukin‐1 (IL‐1) in the colonization of human nasal epithelial cells (NEC) by a nasal carrier strain and a non‐carrier strain of S. aureus . Using an organotypic model of the nasal epithelium, we observed that inoculation with a non‐carrier strain of S. aureus induced production of IL‐1 from NEC, but the expression of this cytokine was significantly reduced when NEC were inoculated with a carrier strain. Moreover, both IL‐1α and IL‐1β significantly decreased the growth of the nasal carrier strain of S. aureus ( P < 0·001, n = 17 to n = 25); however the growth of the non‐carrier strain was unaffected. Interestingly, it was found that several nasal carrier strains of S. aureus form quorum‐dependent biofilms, which can be partially inhibited when preincubated with IL‐1α. Taken together these data suggest that, although nasal carrier strains of S. aureus are sensitive to IL‐1, they display a significant colonization advantage by both preventing the host from expressing IL‐1 and elaborating a protective biofilm.