title: Protein A is a virulence factor in Staphylococcus aureus arthritis and septic death.
abstract: Staphylococcal protein A (SpA), a cell wall anchored protein of Staphylococcus aureus, has the ability to interact with several host components, possibly indicating a role as a virulence factor in S. aureus infections. In this study, the contribution of SpA to bacterial virulence was investigated in a murine model of S. aureus arthritis. Intravenous inoculation of S. aureus wild-type strain Newman gave rise to more severe arthritis and higher mortality than the isogenic spa mutant strain DU5873. The wild-type strain caused more in vitro spleen cell proliferation than the SpA-deficient strain. However, IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels were higher after stimulation with thespa mutant strain compared to the wild-type strain. To conclude, our results clearly indicate that SpA is a virulence factor of S. aureus in murine septic arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Göteborg University, Guldhedsgatan 10A, S-413 46, Göteborg, Sweden. niklas.palmqvist@rheuma.gu.se
authors.forename: Niklas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Palmqvist
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarkowski
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Josefsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000378:metabolism*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D016207:Cytokines; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A; D037521:Virulence Factors