title: Super-infection with Staphylococcus aureus inhibits influenza virus-induced type I IFN signalling through impaired STAT1-STAT2 dimerization.
abstract: Bacterial super-infections are a major complication in influenza virus-infected patients. In response to infection with influenza viruses and bacteria, a complex interplay of cellular signalling mechanisms is initiated, regulating the anti-pathogen response but also pathogen-supportive functions. Here, we show that influenza viruses replicate to a higher efficiency in cells co-infected with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). While cells initially respond with increased induction of interferon beta upon super-infection, subsequent interferon signalling and interferon-stimulated gene expression are rather impaired due to a block of STAT1-STAT2 dimerization. Thus, S. aureus interrupts the first line of defence against influenza viruses, resulting in a boost of viral replication, which may lead to enhanced viral pathogenicity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Virology (IMV), Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), Westfaelische Wilhelms-University Muenster, Von Esmarch-Str. 56, D-48149, Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Warnking
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klemm
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Löffler
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niemann
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Krüchten
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ehrhardt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D050795:STAT2 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; C494079:STAT1 protein, human; D050795:STAT2 Transcription Factor; C494084:STAT2 protein, human