AUTHOR=Hodille Elisabeth , Cuerq Charlotte , Badiou Cédric , Bienvenu Françoise , Steghens Jean-Paul , Cartier Régine , Bes Michèle , Tristan Anne , Plesa Adriana , Le Vien T. M. , Diep Binh A. , Lina Gérard , Dumitrescu Oana 

TITLE=Delta Hemolysin and Phenol-Soluble Modulins, but Not Alpha Hemolysin or Panton-Valentine Leukocidin, Induce Mast Cell Activation

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2016.00180

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2016.00180

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Mast cells are located at host interfaces, such as the skin, and contribute to the first-line defense against pathogens by releasing soluble mediators, including those that induce itching and scratching behavior. Here, we show that delta-hemolysin (Hld) and phenol soluble modulins (PSMs) PSMα1 and PSMα3, but not alpha-hemolysin (Hla) or Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), induce dose-dependent tryptase, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release by the HMC-1 human mast cell line. Using supernatants from isogenic strains, we verified that tryptase and LDH release was Hld- and PSMα-dependent. PSMα1 and Hld production was detected in 65 and 17% of human <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic>-infected skin abscess specimens, respectively, but they were produced <italic>in vitro</italic> by all clinical isolates. The results suggest that Hld and PSM-α1 produced <italic>in vivo</italic> during <italic>S. aureus</italic> skin infections induce the release of mast cell mediators responsible for itching and scratching behavior, which may enhance skin to skin transmission of <italic>S. aureus via</italic> the hands. As Hld and PSMs are upregulated by accessory gene regulator (agr), their association may contribute to the elective transmission of <italic>S. aureus</italic> strains with a functional agr system.</p>