Neutralizing Alpha-Toxin Accelerates Healing of Staphylococcus Aureus-Infected Wounds in Normal and Diabetic Mice

    May 2018 in “ Journal of Investigative Dermatology ”
    Roger V. Ortines, H. Liu, Li Cheng, Taylor S. Cohen, Heather Lawlor, Abhishek Gami, Y. Wang, Carly Dillen, Nathan K. Archer, Robert W. Miller, Alyssa G. Ashbaugh, Bret L. Pinsker, Mark Marchitto, Christine Tkaczyk, C. Kendall Stover, Bret R. Sellman, Lloyd S. Miller
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    TLDR Blocking α-toxin helps heal Staphylococcus aureus-infected wounds faster in both normal and diabetic mice, with different effects on their immune responses.
    Five years ago, a study was conducted on Staphylococcus aureus-infected wounds in both non-diabetic and diabetic mice. The study found that the use of a human neutralizing anti-α-toxin monoclonal antibody (anti-AT mAb) decreased wound sizes and bacterial burden, and enhanced wound healing and resolution compared to a control mAb. This treatment also had distinctive effects on the host immune response, including decreased neutrophil and increased monocyte and macrophage infiltrates in non-diabetic mice, and decreased neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in diabetic mice. The study concluded that neutralizing α-toxin had a therapeutic effect against S. aureus-infected wounds in both non-diabetic and diabetic mice, with differential effects on the host immune response. Similar therapeutic efficacy was achieved with an active vaccine targeting α-toxin.
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