Staphylococcus Aureus Accessory Gene Regulator Quorum-Sensing System Inhibits Keratinocyte Lipid Enzymes And Delays Wound Repair

October 2025 in “ Journal of Clinical Investigation ”

Michelle D Bagood, Jelena Marjanović, Nina Jiang, Hung Chan, Tatsuya Dokoshi, Kellen Cavagnero, Fengwu Li, Andrea Roso-Mares, Samia Almoughrabie, Edward Liu, Irena Pastar, Marjana Tomic‐Canic, Alexander R. Horswill, Richard L. Gallo

Staphylococcus aureus quorum sensing keratinocytes lipid metabolism accessory gene regulator agr system phenol soluble modulins psmα1 psmα4 lipid biosynthesis

TLDR Staphylococcus aureus delays wound healing by disrupting lipid metabolism in skin cells.

This study examines how the Staphylococcus aureus accessory gene regulator quorum-sensing system affects wound healing by inhibiting keratinocyte lipid enzymes, leading to delayed repair. Using both human and mouse samples, the research found that products from the USA300 MRSA strain significantly hinder wound healing. Advanced genomic techniques revealed that the quorum-sensing system suppresses lipid enzyme activity in keratinocytes, impacting gene expression and pathways involved in skin repair. These findings suggest potential therapeutic targets to improve wound healing in infections caused by S. aureus.

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