TY - JOUR
T1 - Vaccine protection against Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia
AU - Wardenburg, Juliane Bubeck
AU - Schneewind, Olaf
PY - 2008/2/18
Y1 - 2008/2/18
N2 - Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia causes significant mortality in hospitalized or healthy individuals, and recent increases in morbidity are attributed to the rapid spread of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains, which are often not susceptible to antibiotic therapy. α-Hemolysin (Hla), a secreted pore-forming toxin, is an essential virulence factor of MRSA in a mouse model of S. aureus pneumonia. We show that the level of Hla expression by independent S. aureus strains directly correlates with their virulence. Active immunization with a mutant form of Hla (Hla H35L), which cannot form pores, generates antigen-specific immunoglobulin G responses and affords protection against staphylococcal pneumonia. Moreover, transfer of Hla-specific antibodies protects naive animals against S. aureus challenge and prevents the injury of human lung epithelial cells during infection. Thus, Hla vaccination or immunotherapy may prevent S. aureus pneumonia in humans. JEM
AB - Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia causes significant mortality in hospitalized or healthy individuals, and recent increases in morbidity are attributed to the rapid spread of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains, which are often not susceptible to antibiotic therapy. α-Hemolysin (Hla), a secreted pore-forming toxin, is an essential virulence factor of MRSA in a mouse model of S. aureus pneumonia. We show that the level of Hla expression by independent S. aureus strains directly correlates with their virulence. Active immunization with a mutant form of Hla (Hla H35L), which cannot form pores, generates antigen-specific immunoglobulin G responses and affords protection against staphylococcal pneumonia. Moreover, transfer of Hla-specific antibodies protects naive animals against S. aureus challenge and prevents the injury of human lung epithelial cells during infection. Thus, Hla vaccination or immunotherapy may prevent S. aureus pneumonia in humans. JEM
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=39549121471&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1084/jem.20072208
DO - 10.1084/jem.20072208
M3 - Article
C2 - 18268041
AN - SCOPUS:39549121471
SN - 0022-1007
VL - 205
SP - 287
EP - 294
JO - Journal of Experimental Medicine
JF - Journal of Experimental Medicine
IS - 2
ER -