Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (Mar 2021)

Staphylococcus aureus β-Hemolysin Up-Regulates the Expression of IFN-γ by Human CD56bright NK Cells

  • Zhangchun Guan,
  • Zhangchun Guan,
  • Yu Liu,
  • Yu Liu,
  • Chenghua Liu,
  • Chenghua Liu,
  • Huiting Wang,
  • Huiting Wang,
  • Jiannan Feng,
  • Jiannan Feng,
  • Guang Yang,
  • Guang Yang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2021.658141
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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IFN-γ is produced upon stimulation with S. aureus and may play a detrimental role during infection. However, whether hemolysins play a role in the mechanism of IFN-γ production has not been fully characterized. In this study, we demonstrated that Hlb, one of the major hemolysins of S. aureus, upregulated IFN-γ production by CD56bright NK cells from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Further investigation showed that Hlb increased calcium influx and induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Either blocking calcium or specifically inhibiting phosphorylation of ERK1/2 decreased the production of IFN-γ induced by Hlb. Moreover, we found that this process was dependent on the sphingomyelinase activity of Hlb. Our findings revealed a novel mechanism of IFN-γ production in NK cells induced by Hlb, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of S. aureus.

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