Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle
Correspondence: W. Conrad Liles, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Medicine, Box 357185, HSB I-104, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7185. E-mail: foghorn{at}u.washington.edu
Modulins represent microbial products that stimulate cytokine
production in host cells. The modulins responsible for gram-positive
sepsis remain poorly understood. Staphylococci release a factor (or
factors) that activates nuclear factor-
B and stimulates cytokine
production in cells of macrophage lineage. This factor, termed
phenol-soluble modulin (PSM), has been recently isolated from culture
supernatant of Staphylococcus epidermidis. We
examined the effects of PSM on proinflammatory properties of human
neutrophils and monocytes in vitro. PSM activated the respiratory
(oxidative) burst in neutrophils and primed neutrophils for enhanced
respiratory burst activity in response to
formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine. PSM also stimulated neutrophil
degranulation as reflected by increased surface expression of CD11b and
CD18, which was accompanied by rapid shedding of
L-selectin. Spontaneous apoptosis of both neutrophils and
monocytes was inhibited by PSM. Furthermore, PSM also functioned as a
chemoattractant factor for both neutrophils and monocytes. Thus, the
proinflammatory properties of PSM resemble those of both
lipopolysaccharide and bacterial chemotactic peptides. These findings
suggest that PSM may play a role in the pathogenesis and systemic
manifestations of sepsis caused by staphylococci.
Key Words: inflammation phagocyte chemotaxis apoptosis respiratory burst degranulation
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