Antimicrobial psoriasin (S100A7) protects human skin from Escherichia coli infection.
Human healthy skin is continuously exposed to bacteria, but is particularly resistant to the common gut bacterium Escherichia coli. We show here that keratinocytes secrete, as the main E. coli-killing compound, the S100 protein psoriasin in vitro and in vivo in a site-dependent way. In vivo treatment of human skin with antibodies to psoriasin inhibited its E. coli-killing properties. Psoriasin was induced in keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo by E. coli, indicating that its focal expression in skin may derive from local microbial induction. Zn(2+)-saturated psoriasin showed diminished antimicrobial activity, suggesting that Zn(2+) sequestration could be a possible antimicrobial mechanism. Thus, psoriasin may be key to the resistance of skin against E. coli.
Gläser
Regine
R
Clinical Research Unit of the Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Germany.
Harder
Jürgen
J
Lange
Hans
H
Bartels
Joachim
J
Christophers
Enno
E
Schröder
Jens-Michael
JM
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D000075023:S100 Calcium Binding Protein A7; D009418:S100 Proteins; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D000075023:S100 Calcium Binding Protein A7; D009418:S100 Proteins; C089242:S100A7 protein, human; D015032:Zinc