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Comment
. 2017 Nov 8;22(5):579-581.
doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2017.10.015.

Staphylococcus aureus: Master Manipulator of the Skin

Affiliations
Comment

Staphylococcus aureus: Master Manipulator of the Skin

Michael R Williams et al. Cell Host Microbe. .

Abstract

Skin colonization by Staphylococcus aureus is associated with severity of atopic dermatitis (AD). Two papers in this issue of Cell Host & Microbe by Nakagawa et al. (2017) and Liu et al. (2017) define a pathway by which epicutaneous Staphylococcus aureus promotes skin inflammation and may contribute to AD.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

R.L.G. is a consultant for and has equity interest in Sente and MatriSys.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. S. aureus Promotes Skin Inflammation through Multiple Pathways
Increased colonization of the skin surface by S. aureus leads to secretion of virulence factors including phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) and proteases. PSMα can stimulate epidermal keratinocytes to produce IL-1-type cytokines (e.g., IL-36α and IL-1α) that further induce γδ T cells, lymphoid cells type 3 (ILC3), and neutrophil recruitment. Another PSM, σ-toxin, can stimulate mast cell degranulation, IL-4 release, increased IgE levels, and increased skin inflammation. In addition to PSMs, S. aureus-secreted proteases combine with induced keratinocyte serine proteases to drive skin barrier damage. This damage promotes bacterial penetration, further drives a Th2 response, and promotes infection.

Comment on

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