Staphylococcus aureus produces membrane-derived vesicles that induce host cell death

• Published in: PloS one 2011-11, Vol.6 (11), p.e27958-e27958
• Main Authors: Gurung, Mamata, Moon, Dong Chan, Choi, Chi Won, Lee, Jung Hwa, Bae, Yong Chul, Kim, Jungmin, Lee, Yoo Chul, Seol, Sung Yong, Cho, Dong Taek, Kim, Seung Il, Lee, Je Chul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acinetobacter baumannii; Analysis; Animals; Apoptosis; Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins - analysis; Biochemistry; Biocompatibility; Biology; Biosynthesis; Blotting, Western; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - metabolism; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - microbiology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Cell culture; Cell Death; Cholesterol; Clinical isolates; Cytokines; Cytoplasmic Vesicles - metabolism; Cytosol; Cytotoxicity; E coli; Effector cells; Escherichia coli; Female; Flow Cytometry; Gram-negative bacteria; Gram-positive bacteria; Health aspects; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; Infection; Investigations; Laryngeal Neoplasms - metabolism; Laryngeal Neoplasms - microbiology; Laryngeal Neoplasms - pathology; Life sciences; Lung - microbiology; Medicine; Membrane vesicles; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Neurosciences; Neutropenia - metabolism; Neutropenia - microbiology; Neutropenia - pathology; Pneumonia - metabolism; Pneumonia - microbiology; Pneumonia - pathology; Protein A; Protein Transport; Proteins; Proteomics; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Shigella; Staphylococcal Infections - metabolism; Staphylococcal Infections - pathology; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - physiology; Staphylococcus aureus infections; Staphylococcus infections; Strains (organisms); Toxicity; Vesicles; Vibrio cholerae; Vibrio parahaemolyticus; Virulence; Virulence (Microbiology); Virulence Factors
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027958

Gram-negative bacteria produce outer membrane vesicles that play a role in the delivery of virulence factors to host cells. However, little is known about the membrane-derived vesicles (MVs) produced by gram-positive bacteria. The present study examined the production of MVs from Staphylococcus aureus and investigated the delivery of MVs to host cells and subsequent cytotoxicity. Four S. aureus strains tested, two type strains and two clinical isolates, produced spherical nanovesicles during in vitro culture. MVs were also produced during in vivo infection of a clinical S. aureus isolate in a mouse pneumonia model. Proteomic analysis showed that 143 different proteins were identified in the S. aureus-derived MVs. S. aureus MVs were interacted with the plasma membrane of host cells via a cholesterol-rich membrane microdomain and then delivered their component protein A to host cells within 30 min. Intact S. aureus MVs induced apoptosis of HEp-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner, whereas lysed MVs neither delivered their component into the cytosol of host cells nor induced cytotoxicity. In conclusion, this study is the first report that S. aureus MVs are an important vehicle for delivery of bacterial effector molecules to host cells.