Targeting <i>S. aureus</i> Extracellular Vesicles: A New Putative Strategy to Counteract Their Pathogenic Potential

oleh: Giulio Petronio Petronio, Maria Di Naro, Noemi Venditti, Antonio Guarnieri, Marco Alfio Cutuli, Irene Magnifico, Alessandro Medoro, Emanuele Foderà, Daniela Passarella, Daria Nicolosi, Roberto Di Marco

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2024-06-01

Deskripsi

Long-term inflammatory skin disease atopic dermatitis is characterized by dry skin, itching, and eczematous lesions. During inflammation skin barrier protein impairment promotes <i>S. aureus</i> colonisation in the inflamed skin, worsening AD patient’s clinical condition. Proteomic analysis revealed the presence of several immune evasion proteins and virulence factors in <i>S. aureus</i> extracellular vesicles (EVs), suggesting a possible role for these proteins in the pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of a wall fragment obtained from a patented strain of <i>C. acnes</i> DSM28251 (c40) and its combination with a mucopolysaccharide carrier (HAc40) in counteract the pathogenic potential of EVs produced by <i>S. aureus</i> ATCC 14458. Results obtained from in vitro studies on HaCaT keratinocyte cells showed that HAc40 and c40 treatment significantly altered the size and pathogenicity of <i>S. aureus</i> EVs. Specifically, EVs grew larger, potentially reducing their ability to interact with the target cells and decreasing cytotoxicity. Additionally, the overexpression of the tight junctions mRNA zona occludens 1 (ZO1) and claudin 1 (CLDN1) following EVs exposure was decreased by HAc40 and c40 treatment, indicating a protective effect on the epidermal barrier’s function. These findings demonstrate how Hac40 and c40 may mitigate the harmful effects of <i>S. aureus</i> EVs. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the exact mechanisms underlying this interaction and explore the potential clinical utility of c40 and its mucopolysaccharide carrier conjugate HAc40 in managing atopic dermatitis.