Abstract

Globalization and migration promote the spread of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive Staphylococcus aureus strains. The toxin PVL is linked to the development of thrombosis in association with osteomyelitis. The mechanisms by which PVL drives thrombosis development are however still unknown. We demonstrate that PVL-damaged neutrophils activate platelets via neutrophil secretion products, such as α-defensins and the myeloperoxidase product HOCl, as well as the formation of HOCl-modified proteins. Neutrophil damage by PVL is blocked by anti-PVL-antibodies, explaining why especially young osteomyelitis patients with a low antibody titre against PVL suffer from thrombotic complications. Platelet activation in the presence of PVL-damaged neutrophils is prevented by α-defensin inhibitors and by glutathione and resveratrol, which are both inhibitors of HOCl-modified protein-induced platelet activation. Remarkably, intravenously infused glutathione also prevents activation of human platelets in an ex vivo assay. We here describe a new mechanism of PVL-neutrophil-platelet interactions, which might be extrapolated to other toxins that act on neutrophils. Our observations may make us think about new approaches to treat and/or prevent thrombotic complications in the course of infections with PVL-producing S. aureus strains.

Details

Title
Panton-Valentine Leukocidin associated with S. aureus osteomyelitis activates platelets via neutrophil secretion products
Author
Niemann, Silke 1 ; Bertling, Anne 2 ; Brodde, Martin F 3 ; Fender, Anke C 3 ; Van de Vyver, Hélène 1 ; Hussain, Muzaffar 1 ; Holzinger, Dirk 4 ; Reinhardt, Dirk 4 ; Peters, Georg 5 ; Heilmann, Christine 6 ; Löffler, Bettina 7 ; Kehrel, Beate E 2 

 Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany 
 Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Experimental and Clinical Haemostasis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany; Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF) Muenster, Muenster, Germany 
 Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Experimental and Clinical Haemostasis, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany 
 Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany 
 Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany; Cluster of Excellence EXC 1003, Cells in Motion, Muenster, Germany 
 Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany; Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF) Muenster, Muenster, Germany 
 Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany 
Pages
1-15
Publication year
2018
Publication date
Feb 2018
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
1993381793
Copyright
© 2018. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.