Microorganisms, Vol. 13, Pages 1817: The Susceptibility Profiles of Human Peripheral Blood Cells to Staphylococcus aureus Cytotoxins

Microorganisms doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13081817

Authors:
Tyler K. Nygaard
Jovanka M. Voyich

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium that causes significant human morbidity and mortality. The capacity of S. aureus to cause disease is primarily attributed to an array of virulence factors produced by this pathogen that collectively overcome immune defenses and promote survival in a variety of host tissues. These include an arsenal of different cytotoxins that compromise plasma membrane integrity, with the specificity of each dependent upon the host organism and cell type. S. aureus encounters a variety of peripheral blood cell types during infection that play important roles in maintaining homeostasis and defending against microbial invasion, namely erythrocytes, thrombocytes, and leukocytes. S. aureus targets each of these cell types with specific cytotoxins to successfully establish disease. This review summarizes our current understanding of the susceptibility of different human peripheral blood cell types to each of these cytotoxins.

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Tyler K. Nygaard www.mdpi.com