S. aureus LukF-PV

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is characterized by its pathogenicity and high prevalence, causing disease in both healthy and immunocompromised individuals due to its easy dissemination. This fact is aggravated by the widespread dissemination of S. aureus carrying toxigenic genes. The objective of this study was to determine the toxigenic profile of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in patients with purulent skin and/or soft tissue infections seen at the Dermatology Department of the University Hospital of the Botucatu Medical School, asymptomatic adults older than 60 years living in nursing homes, and prison inmates of the Avare Detention Center. Methods: PCR was used for the detection of the mecA gene, enterotoxin genes (sea, seb, and sec), exfoliative toxins A and B (eta and etb), toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (tst), panton-valentine leukocidin (lukS-PV and lukF-PV), and alpha- and delta-hemolysins or cytotoxins (hla and hld). Results: The results showed a significant prevalence of toxigenic genes among S. aureus isolates from asymptomatic individuals, with the observation of a higher prevalence of cytotoxin genes. However, the panton-valentine leukocidin gene was only detected in MSSA isolated from patients with skin infections and the tst gene was exclusively found in MSSA isolated from prison inmates. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated a significant prevalence of toxigenic genes in MSSA and MRSA strains isolated from asymptomatic S. aureus carriers. There was a higher prevalence of cytotoxin genes.

In this study, the binding of F components of the staphylococcal bicomponent leukotoxins Panton-Valentine leucocidin (LukF-PV) and gamma-hemolysin (HlgB) on polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), monocytes, and lymphocytes was determined using labeled mutants and flow cytometry. Leukotoxin activity was evaluated by measuring Ca2+ entry or pore formation using spectrofluorometry or flow cytometry. Although HlgB had no affinity for cells in the absence of an S component, LukF-PV had high affinity for PMNs (dissociation constant [K-d], 6.2 +/- 1.9 nM; n = 8), monocytes (K-d, 2.8 +/- 0.8 nM; n = 7), and lymphocytes (K-d, 1.2 +/- 0.2 nM; n = 7). Specific binding of HlgB was observed only after addition of LukS-PV on PMNs (K-d, 1.1 +/- 0.2 nM; n = 4) and monocytes (K-d, 0.84 +/- 0.31 nM; n = 4) or after addition of HlgC on PMNs, monocytes, and lymphocytes. Addition of LukS-PV or HlgC induced a second specific binding of LukF-PV on PMNs. HlgB and LukD competed only with LukF-PV molecules bound after addition of LukS-PV. LukF-PV and LukD competed with HlgB in the presence of LukS-PV on PMNs and monocytes. Use of antibodies and comparisons between binding and activity time courses showed that the LukF-PV molecules that bound to target cells before addition of LukS-PV were the only LukF-PV molecules responsible for Ca2+ entry and pore formation. In contrast, the active HlgB molecules were the HlgB molecules bound after addition of LukS-PV. In conclusion, LukF-PV must be linked to LukS-PV and to a binding site of the membrane to have toxin activity.